


Uzumaki Nori

by YukiNoKarasu



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Multi, SI/OC as Naruto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-05-29 17:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 30,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6384901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukiNoKarasu/pseuds/YukiNoKarasu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Originally posted on FanFiction] </p>
<p>My name is Uzumaki Nori – no, I'm not the twin of Uzumaki Naruto. By what I have concluded, I'm his replacement. (semi-SI! As Fem!Naruto; AU!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The chaos of babies is a choir that overwhelms the mind.  
Uzumaki Nori could tell you a few things about babies. They were loud, they couldn't communicate and their very life depended on the kindness of strangers. However, since they do not have a developed mind of their own yet, they do not realize that – they rely on basic instinct. Nori did not have that commodity. Her mind, it seemed, hasn’t reset for her previous life.

  
Back then she hadn’t really thought much about it, just that it would be a nice perk not to have to relearn math and basic things like that, since, she figured, from the broken fragments she received, that the language was not her native one. But, that seemed like a minor issue, as language can be learned through exposure.  
The only thing she really remembered was that her birth had been a hectic one.

  
But after a few weeks, once her vision had been finally clear enough to see she could have screamed, but instead, only small sobs escaped her tiny lips. The masked man-woman? -to this day she doesn’t know- disappeared as quickly as they appeared. It took Nori a few second to calm before her mind started to work in overdrive.  
It was only a mask –but, what it triggered in her brain was a series of motion pictures that all unraveled at once. The only thing on her mind – this can’t be happening.

 

* * *

  
Now, to spare you the details, we will move forward three years and observe Nori’s development.

  
For the past three years Nori grew up in an orphanage. She had learned her name fairly quickly, if only for her superior mind trapped in a yet to be developed body. It hadn’t been as bad as she expected, once she figured out what her role was, that is.

  
The orphanage staff mostly ignored her, but didn’t neglect her, they had tried a few times, but quickly came around - she guessed it had something to do with her masked guardian angel. Nevertheless, she finally managed to figure it out, but only after a visit from a certain old man known as the Sandaime Hokage.

  
She had successfully replaced Uzumaki Naruto.

  
Now, she had her own little theory that she learned about from a beloved character in a TV series. What if there was an infinitive number off universes? Going by that logic in one such universe, Naruto could have been a girl, in the other he could have been less reckless, in the third smarter – you get the picture. Still, that didn’t explain her knowledge of a universe where this was fiction – But, again, infinite number of universes could mean that all fictional universes could exist as well. And what a fascinating idea that was! The possibilities were endless.

  
But, she was stuck here, in this body. This was, for all she knew, her only chance at a more interesting life. At this point, she had no goals, she was three, lived isolated, was parent-less, and most importantly – she was a key piece in the village, if only because she kept the Kyuubi at bay.

  
She only vaguely remembered the manga, she had taken a dislike to the main protagonist – whose only good points were his dumb luck and the Kyuubi’s healing power. That was her sentiment and she was sticking with it. Not that the brat didn’t have good qualities. She had always disliked the eternally immature type – something Naruto clearly was. In all honestly – she was more a fan of the side characters (well, aside from Sasuke and Itachi).

  
The Hokage she had met only twice, the first time she had still been a baby. The man smiled a lot, his eyes held wisdom, but Nori didn’t care about that. Because, he didn’t see her for her – she was merely his responsibility and a memento of the Forth. To that man she was far away from her own personality – that is not to say it was going to remain that way. But, Nori would rather choose herself who she made bounds with. Not that she planned to make many.

  
But, I digress.

  
It was one night that Nori overheard a conversation the orphanage matriarch had with the Hokage (whom Nori refused to call anything but Hokage-sama) that she should be moved to live on her own, as she was mature enough to do so. Nori knew her fast development would cause her trouble, but she had never been one to care much. Beside, you try to hide something in a ninja village and then see how that goes.  
Needless to say Nori was moved into her own apartment the following day and was explained what was expected of her. A jonin, she had yet to meet would check on her every week to see what she was up to.

  
And that is the point where Nori’s life truly begins.

 

* * *

 

  
A three year old walking alone in the village was clearly a common occurrence as her image didn’t immediately cause suspicion. She walked carefully, kept her head down causing a few stray strands of dark red hair to fall into her eyes. She kept her hair short and slicked back, but for some reason it would always become spiky in the back. Needless to say she was not amused, but was too aloof to care and try to solve the problem. Hence why her hairstyle resembled Sasuke’s , only with no bangs.  
Her eyes were clearly Minato’s, because as far as she remembered Kushina had had purple ones. Her hands were in the pockets of the hand-me-down pant she had received in the orphanage - blue in colour – her shirt red with short sleeves. Standard ninja sandals adorned her feet.

  
Something Nori learned quickly. Children were strongly encouraged to become shinobi from a young age, so playing ninja in the orphanage backyard was a common occurrence.

  
Nori didn’t have much of a choice – if she was to survive she would have to become a shinobi, whether she liked it or not.  
On her exploration, Nori passed the local park, the sound of children’s’ laughter and screams penetrating her ears. She looked up, her bright blue eyes scanning over the crowd. At first nobody even noticed her, but sudden whispers filled the area, then the familiar tension she had experience in the orphanage crept in.  
“Oi, you!” a boy shouted, approximately her age. He was grinning showing off his missing teeth.

  
Before Nori could say anything a woman voice shrieked, “Kenichi!”

  
The boy turned towards whom Nori assumed was his mother. The girl ignored the rest of the events as she continued on her path. Her goal had been to explore the village, not make friends with children.

  
She didn’t know what happened after she left and neither did she care. The wind was blowing softly making the summer day more bearable. Nori soon found herself in the middle of a field. She blinked a few times. Clearly she must have spaced out for a second.

  
Before she could even register her surrounding a voice broke through her thoughts. A very loud voice.

  
“4 998, 4 999, 5 000!” Nori stared wide-eyed at the green-spandex clad man she faintly recognised as Maito Gai who just got done doing 5000 push-ups.  
5 000?! What that man even human, she thought, her eyebrows shooting up in astonishment.

  
Truth to be told, Nori actually found Gai to be one of the people to admire most. He didn’t care what others thought of him, believe in hard work over talent and was overall awesome – not that she would ever say that aloud.

  
Gai, having finally finished his exercises, stood up dusting of his bodysuit before he scanned his surroundings, his eyes landing on a red-haired wide-eyed child. His eyebrows shot up as he examined her. Peculiar hair.

  
“Oi, youthful little girl and who might you be? Did you come to admire Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey?” he asked flashing his pearly white teeth.

  
Nori blinked a few times, getting over the shock before frowning. She suddenly wished her teeth were so white, I mean, who wouldn't?  
Quickly collecting herself, she bend down in a bow, having been thought social etiquette at the orphanage.

  
“Ohaiyo, Shinobi-san, my name is Uzumaki Nori. I didn't mean to spy. It seems I got lost while wondering around the village,” she finished hopping she used all her words correctly. This was the most she had said aloud to anyone in quite a while.

  
Gai observed her for a moment, easily recognising the name. Quickly he whipped his smile back in place.

  
“Do you need help finding your way?”

  
Normally, in her old life she was advised not to trust strangers, but here, children were encouraged to view shinobi as a sort of helpful police force (even though they had the Uchiha Police Force) so Nori didn't need to think much before nodding. It was getting late anyway. She was just glad it was Gai that she had run into, though she had no doubt that he would tell Kakashi all about this little meeting.

  
“Hai!”

  
“My name is Maito Gai, Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey!” Nori just knew he gave himself that epithet. Nonetheless, she gave him a small smile, her eyes closing on instinct, her head titling slightly.

  
When she opened her eyes again, Gai stood in his nice-guy pose, teeth shining brightly in the low light.

  
After telling Gai her address she followed quietly after him, this time paying attention to her surroundings.

  
“So, Nori-chan, what were you doing in the trainings grounds?” he tried to make it sound casual, but Nori already felt like she was being interrogated. Thankfully smart children were not an oddity in this world. I mean, prodigies were lying round in heaps.

  
“I got lost exploring.”

  
Gai seemed to buy the excuse easily enough. “I see, very youthful of you to do that! But, be more careful in the future, training grounds are not meant for children, you could get hurt!”

  
She gave him a small nod, understanding his point of view.

  
They walked a while longer in silence before Nori’s curiosity got the better out of her. “Maito-san?”

  
“Hmmm?”

  
She took that as a sign to go on. “You’re a shinobi of Konoha, right?”

  
Gai gave her a nod and a big smile. “That is correct!”

  
Nori stared at the ground before swallowing the lump in her throat. She had a feeling she would regret this in the future, but she found herself saying it nonetheless.

  
“Do you think I could become one as well? A shinobi I mean.”


	2. Chapter 2

47, 48, 49… come on… 50!

  
After counting down to the last push up Nori fell down on the cool earth relishing in the fact that she had completed yet another workout. Gai was a slave driver, Nori had soon learned, therefore, she had refused his request of training alongside him. Yes, she wanted to get stronger, but seriously – that guy was a monster - and to think she actually had great stamina for a three almost four year old.

  
As for chakra, it honestly scared her to even think about it. An energy inside her body that, if handled wrongly, could even kill her! Yes, let's play around with it unsupervised! Please note sarcasm.

  
As for her training, Nori only focused on taijutsu – she even begged Gai to show her the standard katas, arguing that clan children were already introduced to them way before they entered the academy. They even had their own clan's fancy ones. She was just happy with the standard. She was not fooled, she knew the only reason Gai was even doing this, was because he had probably spoken to the Hokage and they deemed it best not to let her train unsupervised, least she accidentally set the Kyuubi lose. It was better to do so under guidance anyway. Of course, she had to promise Gai she would not play with chakra until academy, not that she planned on it anyway.  
This resulted in her organizing her life in absolute order.

  
She took a page out of the way Dr. Sheldon Cooper had organized his. Not that hers was that extreme, but some would probably argue that she was a bit of a neat freak for a three-year-old. She had a steady routine of training, shopping, laundry night… She planned everything for every week, with the occasional adjustment here and there.  
For her the days stretched on now – she waited for the day she turned five and would enter the academy. That is when the real deal would start. That will be the ultimate test of her endurance. She planned to succeed. She will be attending with her peers. Early graduation, as she had learned when she questioned Gai, was only a necessity during wartime (as in Kakashi's case) or could be granted if the prodigy's parents aka guardian gave permission (as in Itachi's case). As she did not fall into either of those two categories, she would be graduating with her peers, simple and easy as that – not that she had had any hope of graduating early. Sure, she had the mind of somebody with far more experience, but her body was unprepared, no matter how hard she pushed it and she had no real talent to speak of.

  
To her, this life seemed purely ironic – and if she ever found who was responsible for her situation – well, let's hope for them that she will not.  
Today was Thursday, and as she was done with training in the morning, she had kanji to practice.

  
Nori did find something out. Contrary to popular belief, nobody real dared to throw her out of shops. People were more scared of her, than they actually hated her (well, those who lost many people that night probably hated her, but fear for their own lives overruled that). In the marked people generally stayed out of her way, the vendors were too nervous most of the time to even say anything to her and she made it a point to purchase the things she needed quickly so that she could leave in the soonest possible time. Nobody sold her anything rotten or the like. Seriously, were do people get those ideas? She always thought Naruto was simply a young boy, who lived alone – ergo he did not know how to take care of himself. Result – he did not know how to cook. End result – the cheapest option for him was ramen!

  
Nori knew enough about cooking to keep herself relatively well feed.

  
The library was another place she visited often in order to get better at writing. She practiced every day and spent at least an hour a day in the library copying new kanji so she could practice at home. She didn't bother hiding her intellect, nobody questioned her on it either. I mean, Kakashi graduated at 5! She wasn't even that special in comparison.  
It was on that Thursday, when she was sitting alone leaned against a tree near the park that she heard the sound a children screaming and somebody crying. She honestly didn't want to move. In fact, she just knew that that was a bad idea. Yet, she found herself standing up, pocketing her notebook and walking towards where the commotion came from.

  
The sight she found was not exactly what she expected from a bunch of children. She had just figured somebody got hurt. Instead, well if those children were older this would look really wrong. Now it just looked pathetic. What she assumed was a little girl was surrounded by five boys, approximately a year or two older than she was. They were yelling and laughing at her, while she was on her hands and knees. Nori knew she was the crying one.

  
"Oi! What are you doing?"

  
The boys turned to face her, all wearing, what Nori assumed were their mean faces. She didn't look impressed as she crossed her arms over her chest. One of the boys pointed at her.

  
"That's the kid my kaa-chan told me to stay away from!"

  
The others agreed. "Why thought!?" asked another one. "She looks harmless. Oi, kid who do you think you are?"

  
"Who do you think you are?" she asked back, her posture never changing. The boys' faces grew angrier.

  
"Get her!" One of them yelled as the other four agreed. They all came charging at her. Nori acted fast. She run slipping past them grabbed the little girl, who in the mean time had stood up and started running for it. She was suddenly glad Gai had included many laps into his training regime for her.

  
It was quite a while later, after passing through many alleyways and streets that they finally managed to shake them off. Nori deduced they must have grown bored or they run out of breath. When she was finally sure they were not followed anymore, she released the girl's hand and turned to inspect the damage. She was surprised when she found herself staring into a pair of clear, pupil-less lavender eyes.

  
Nori's mind blanked for a second. She did not know what to say anymore as the eyes of the Hyuuga girl stared holes through her. For a long while nobody spoke. Then, the girl seemed to finally find some courage within her.

  
"A-arigat-to!" she stuttered out bowing clumsily. Nori blinked a few times, stunned.

  
"Ah, you're welcome. My name is Uzumaki Nori," she introduced herself, bowing politely. The girl blushed before returning the bow introducing herself.

  
"I'm Hyuuga H-hinata."

  
Nori fought against a sigh. Of course, she had to be Hinata. She couldn't have met just a nice branch member or somebody else, completely irrelevant to the plot, whom she could ignore afterwards. It had to be Hinata.

  
"Pleasure to meet you Hyuuga-san." Always be formal towards the clans, it was necessary Nori learned quickly.

  
Hinata blushed again, her gaze falling to the floor; neither of them knew what to say anymore.

  
"A-ano, Uzumaki-san-"

  
"Just Nori is fine." While she didn't mind addressing others with honorifics, she didn't like to be addressed with them either.

  
Hinata stumbled over some incoherent words before finally speaking again.

  
"Nori-san, why, ah… uhmmm…" Hinata fidgeted, as if not sure what to say next or how to phrase her question.

  
"I helped because it was wrong of them to bully you, for whatever reason." Nori shrugged, not seeing the problem.

  
She glanced around; some people were staring at them. She had better leave quickly least somebody from the Hyuuga clan thought she was corrupting the heiress.

  
"Anyway, Hyuuga-san, it was my pleasure to help. But – now I really have to go." With a polite bow, Nori quickly turned and started walking away. Good thing too, as she saw an older Hyuuga male stalk over to Hinata questioning the girl about her wellbeing. She didn't miss the nasty glance he threw at her.  
Nori sighed. Another scene successfully avoided.

 

* * *

  
1 year later

 

* * *

  
"Ah, youthful Nori-chan! It's good to see you in such high spirits in the morning!" Gai called to her as he slowed his jogging speed to run alongside her.

  
She gave him a polite smile, but was to out of breath to say anything back.

  
Gai seemed to understand as they lapsed into a comfortable silence. She didn't get why Gai had slowed down to match her to begin with. The man was fast, I mean, really fast. He needn't bother to try and match a small child.

  
Finally, when Nori had finished her laps she slowed to a halt, Gai stopping as well.

  
"Nori-chan, it is good that I saw you! The Hokage wanted to talk to you this morning, but you weren't at your apartment."

  
Ah, so that was the reason. Couldn't he have just sent an ANBU? Ah, nobody was supposed to know about them – especially not her, she assumed.

  
"Aaaa."

  
Nori didn't know it, but Gai sometimes wondered whether she spent any time around the Uchihas. Her speech patterns were as strange as theirs were.  
Nori let Gai walk her over to the Hokage building; he talked on and on about youth and missions and how great it was to serve Konoha. Yeah, right! As if, she would ever believe that!

  
When the arrived at the door of the Hokage's office the man in question was already waiting for them. Gai tactfully excused himself from the scene, but not before shooting Nori a thumb up and a big grin. The girl just gave him a polite nod before turning her attention to the head of the village.

  
"Nori-chan it is good to see you again."

  
Nori gave him a polite smile and bowed. "It's good to see you as well, Hokage-sama."

  
The Hokage nodded before mentioning for her to follow him. She soon found herself wandering the streets of Konoha alongside the Hokage until they came up next to a small both. She read the words on the curtain and nearly cried. Ichiraku Ramen – of course he had to bring her here.

  
She followed without complaint as the seated themselves and the Hokage politely ordered. The man, whose name escaped her (really, she did not know his name nor did she care) smiled at her and asked her what she would like. She was a bit taken aback by the smile. After a while, she was used to everyone but Gai and the Hokage to glare at her or ignore her existence.

  
She fidgeted in her seat unsure of what to order, her eyes soon falling to the Hokage. "I have never had ramen before." It was true enough, the diet in the orphanage was mostly all tofu and she didn't like noodles much from her old life.

  
"How about you just try something," he suggested. Nori scanned the menu before nodding.

  
"Shōyu*?" The man gave her a smile before going to get their orders.

  
As he was doing so, the Hokage took this opportunity to turn to her and talk.

  
"Nori-chan, as you know you will be starting the academy soon."

  
Nori nodded watching from the corner of her eyes as Ichiraku-man prepared her ramen.

  
"Hai."  
The Hokage smiled. "Are you excited?"

  
Nori shrugged. She wasn't as excited as she was worried, but nonetheless she said; "I'm not sure."

  
The Hokage frowned. "Why is that?"

  
Nori turned her blue eyes towards him. "People don't like to be around me for a very long time. I try to do what I have to at the market in the soonest possible time. I probably just disturb them, but I don't know why." To emphasize her point she drew her eyebrows together as if she wondered about the reason.

  
Truthfully, Nori guessed any child in her position would have figured they were different by now so it was actually a sound observation.

  
The Hokage's face was serious, he seemed even older like that. "Is that all people do around you?" The question was carefully placed. He clearly wanted to know if anybody abused her.

  
Nori frowned for effect. "No, not really anyway. Sometimes they ask me to leave." She shrugged, it was not that big a problem to deal with.

  
"I see," muttered the aged man beside her. "Well, I'm sure you will like the academy. Gai tells me you are already training really hard, any specific reason for that?"

  
Ah, he really wasn't all that subtle. Nori smiled. "One day, I want to see this world. All of it. I really want to explore it."

  
The smile on the Hokage's face was both kind and worried. Before he could say anything, the Ichiraku-man placed their orders in front of them.  
"Thank you Teuchi-san," said the Hokage.

  
Nori narrowed her eyes. His name is Teuchi; have to remember it - Teuchi…

  
Nori took the chopsticks and took a piece of nori to her mouth. At least she/it tasted good – that could be interpreted the wrong way…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nori [海苔] - Japanese name for edible seaweed species of the red algae. Nori is commonly used as a wrap for sushi and onigiri. It is also a garnish or flavoring in noodle preparations and soups (such as ramen). [source: Wikipedia]
> 
> *Shōyu- ("soy sauce") ramen, it is often adorned with marinated bamboo shoots or menma, green onions, kamaboko (fish cakes), nori (seaweed), boiled eggs, bean sprouts and/or black pepper. [source: Wikipedia]


	3. Chapter 3

Nori glanced around her apartment. The building she lived in looked run down, but the inside of her apartment was actually quite nice. She had a small bedroom, even a bed was included, and the furniture was as good as new. The small kitchen, with all electronics included was connected to the small living room, a door to her right leading to the bathroom. Overall, it was more than enough for her.

  
She had also managed to purchase clothes from the allowance the Hokage had given her. She had a long moral debate after which she decided that orange was out of the question. She had no love for the bright and sunny colour. She opted for either black or blue. Therefore, she wore standard, dark blue sandals, black pants, a light blue T-shirt and a black hoodie with light blue edges.

  
Today was the first day of academy, and to say that she was excited was an understatement. Though initially she was anything but trilled about it, the more the date neared the more the butterflies in her stomach grew. She didn’t like it.

  
Carefully she put on her sandals and backpack and walked out of her apartment, locking it behind her – not that that could stop any shinobi from entering if they wanted.

 

* * *

  
She stopped near the academy; people who had brought their children for the first day surrounded it. She was cautious about going to close, but when she saw the Hokage come up on a platform to greet the new students she grew more confident as she fought her way through the crowd to come close to it. Once people too notice of her, they started whispering again and she could practically feel the familiar tension creeping into the place. The Hokage was, however, quick to defuse any tension, starting his great speech about protecting Konoha and what not. Nori listened only half-heartedly.

  
Sooner then she would have liked she found herself next to the other children after the parents left them to their teachers. She could tell her presence wasn’t liked, but nobody seemed to protest too much. She would just have to see how it goes.

  
“Aburame Shino.”  
Nori watched as a dark-haired boy with a high-collar jacket and black sunglasses walked forward.

  
“Akimichi Chōji.”

  
“Haruno Sakura.”  
Wow, the girl actually had pink hair. Wow.

  
“Hyūga Hinata.”  
Nori saw Hinata walk over, her head bowed down. She seemed even more timid than back when Nori first saw her. She frowned.

  
A couple more names were called, some Nori recognized, some she didn’t. Then, finally, a name she knew all too well was called out.

  
“Uchiha Sasuke.”  
Nori didn’t bother to look up. She honestly wasn’t interested in Sasuke. Form what she remembered about him, he was nobody she wanted to get to know better.

  
“Uzumaki-“ the instructor paused. His voice grew rather quiet. “Uzumaki Nori.”

  
She stepped out of the crow walking towards where a dark-haired boy, she assumed was Sasuke was already standing. She didn’t miss the gazes as the followed her. This is why she didn’t like public places, people stared and children tended to copy anything their parents and elders did. No, she didn’t blame them, but she wasn’t all to understanding either.

  
The instructor cleared his throat calling out the other students.

  
“A-ano…” Nori looked up into the pupil-less eyes of the Hyūga girl. She blinked her blue-eyes a few times. She honestly hadn’t expected Hinata to try and talk to her, or anybody for that matter.

  
“Hello, Hyūga-san,” she greeted bowing slightly to be more polite.

  
“Nori-san,” Hinata returned the bow, Nori noted that she did it with a lot more finesse than last time. “Ano, please call me Hinata.”

  
Nori nodded. “Hinata-san.”

  
Hinata gave her a shy smile. It seemed like she wanted to say something more, but the instructor was already calling them inside.

  
They could sit wherever they wanted so Nori made her way towards the back of the class. Surprisingly enough Hinata followed her and even sat next to her after giving her a small smile. Nori returned it, but hers was a lot more confused than friendly. Wasn’t Hinata shyer than this?

  
Nevertheless, Nori chose to ignore this new revelation – she simply wrote it off as her not being a boy, therefore, Hinata didn’t/couldn’t develop any romantic feelings for her. That meant she probably wanted to be friends rather than see Nori as somebody to admire. Nori softly nodded to herself. That seemed plausible, at least in her head.  
The lesson in itself was boring to Nori. They were starting with basic Kanji and math – things she had been practicing for the last couple of years on her own. However, in order not to appear suspicious she diligently wrote everything down nonetheless. Hinata, as she saw from the corner of her eyes was doing the same, though she assumed to Hyūga would have taught her most of it as well beforehand.

  
Lessons were from eight to ten after which they had an hour break, then they would have something along the lines of physical education, but, you know, only for ninjas in training. Then they were free to go.

  
When the lesson finally finished, Nori packed away her notebook into her backpack before putting the back on her back and walking out to join the other children – not that she planned to play with them. She noticed Hinata following her but didn’t comment.

  
She found a picnic bench away from the other chattering students and sat on it pulling out her small packed lunch. Hinata sat across from her doing the same.  
“Itadakimasu,” she muttered quietly before taking a bit of rice to her mouth. She heard Hinata mumble the same before she started to eat as well. The two lapsed into silence, the only sound they heard was their own chewing and the chattering of the other students away from them.

 

* * *

  
After classes had ended Nori walked out of the academy witnessing as parents and/or siblings came to pick up the other children. Something tugged at her heart, but she chose to ignore it. Just as she was about to leave, somebody called out her name. She turned around.

  
“Gai-san?”

  
“Nori-chan! How was your first day? I assume it was most youthful!” She blinked at him. She really hadn’t expected anybody to come. She has lived alone for nearly two years now.

  
The way Gai was smiling at her produced strange feelings in her heart. Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly parted.

  
“Nori-chan?” Gai asked slightly concerned when the little girl in front of him remained silent.

  
“H-hai.”

  
Gai didn’t know how to react, but clearly he being here had caused some kind of reaction for her. She seemed so happy and he swore he saw tears building up in the corner of her eyes.

  
“Come on, let’s celebrate!” he said enthusiastically while holding a thumb up to her.

  
And as any child her physical age might have done she agreed with a nod and a large smile.

  
She hadn’t realized that after years of limited human contact she had missed the normality of such a thing. It was nice to sit there watching Gai burn his tongue with hot spicy curry, laughing all the while and just talking about mundane stuff.

  
She had never appreciated Maito Gai more. That day, to her he stopped being Maito Gai, the Naruto character and became Maito Gai her friend.

 

* * *

  
Nori didn’t know what to make of Hinata. It had now been a few days since the start of academy, the week was nearing its end and as it did so Nori’s confusion about the Hyūga girl grew even more. Hinata never spoke to her more than the initial greeting she received from the quiet girl.

  
Then there was the stalking. Initially Nori thought Hinata wouldn’t do anything like that, but oh how wrong she was. The first day after academy Hinata wasn’t there. So it was completely unexpected when Nori saw her the next day.

  
It was in the evening, right after she had finished her laps for the day and was going towards the log she usually practiced hits on when she saw the small Hyūga girl peek from behind a tree. After a short moral debate Nori chose to ignore the girl for now, pretending to haven’t seen her. This went on for the next week.  
But now it was Saturday, which meant no academy. However, Hinata arrived at the training field at precisely 6: 15 p.m. Nori refrained from rolling her eyes. Would she seriously stay there again until she was done?! It was creepy! But, to be fair, the only reason Nori noticed her in the first place was because of her own paranoia that ANBUs were constantly following her. She had yet to see one.

  
Nori did go over the fact that she could just switch training grounds, but – that would be too much of a hassle to deal with. Instead she opted for something she had a feeling she was going to regret.

  
“Hinata-san?”

  
The girl jumped, clearly startled. Nori frowned. She had chosen an awful hiding spot way to close to her. Who wouldn’t have noticed her? Oh, yeah, Naruto wouldn’t have. Then again, they would have both been five and well... Kids...

  
“A-ano, N-n-nori-san, g-gomen!” she stuttered out moving out of her hiding spot, her face completely red.

  
“Why are you apologising?”

  
Hinata was looking at the ground, fidgeting. “I-I, uh...”

  
“Well, whatever. Since you’re already here, do you want to try together?” She looked behind her. “Hitting the trainings post does get boring,” she trailed of gauging Hinata’s reaction.

  
It was immediate. First she was smiling but then a second later her face fell as she looked to the ground again.

  
“A-ano, I don’t think I would be a good training partner.”

  
Nori shrugged. “Any training partner is better than none at all.”

  
Hinata didn’t look fully convinced, but agreed nonetheless. And from that day on, they were sparing partners.

* * *

  
Another month passed uneventfully; expect that Hinata actually started talking to Nori more than just the casual greeting. Their training together wasn’t all that successful. Hinata was just too afraid to hit her. Nori was working on the confidence issues – unsuccessfully. Oh well... She will just have to keep trying.

  
As she had guessed all the girls in class quickly took to the talented Uchiha boy. And Nori had to admit – Sasuke did have talent – for a kid his age. He was nowhere near Kakashi-awesome though.

  
On a side note, the academy has finally moved to chakra, albeit it was only the theoretical introduction, they were told they would be unlocking it in a month’s time. Nori had a good idea that most academy students, well, the clan kids already did...

  
“Ano, Nori-chan,” at least she stopped stuttering so much around her. “I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner at my house.”

  
Nori blinked. What?

  
“Aaahh.”

  
Hinata twisted her thumbs nervously. “You don’t have to. My, ah f-father w-wanted to me-meet you.”

  
Nori sighed. Of course nothing escaped the Hyūga Hiashi.

  
“Ahh, alright- I guess.” She drew her eyebrow together. “But it can’t be Saturday night.”

  
Hinata frowned. “Why not?”

  
“Saturday night is laundry night.”

  
Hinata giggled. Nori frowned.

  
“I’m serious.”

* * *

  
As she was walking out of the academy that rainy afternoon she frowned at the fact that she would have to go home and fetch her raincoat. There was no way she would miss her laps over a bit of rain. She opened her umbrella waving to Hinata as the Hyūga male, whose name she learned was Kō, dragged her away. She looked to her side and suddenly wished she didn’t. Sitting there beneath the roof of the academy was none other than Uchiha Sasuke – and to make matters worse he looked like an abounded kitten (Nori had a fondness for cats – not so much for dogs, she remembered one biting her once in her past life.)

  
Everybody had already left. Most parents had come to pick up their kids. Nori sighed. She should just walk away. Her treacherous eyes glanced at the Uchiha. Damn it. Why did he have to look so miserable?

  
“Oi, don’t you have an umbrella?”

  
Sasuke looked up at her, a glare in his eyes. He scoffed. “What’s it to you?!” he snapped rudely.

  
Nori blinked at him. Geez, what a rude kid. What is it she used to say in her old life? Ah, yes! Fight rudeness with kindness – it confuses the hell out of people.

  
“You’re Uchiha Sasuke-san, right?”

  
Sasuke glared at the ground.

  
“So? You’re just a kid nobody likes! Leave me alone!”

  
Woah! He had some serious issues.

  
Nori looked out into the rain. She saw nobody approaching.

  
“If you want I can walk you home, that way you won’t get wet form the rain,” she offered. There was no way she was giving him her umbrella, it had been a present from Gai-san – a youthful umbrella, he had said, though she failed to see how an inanimate object could be considered youthful.

  
“I don’t need your help!”

  
Nori blinked. He was stubborn. She had offered her help, so why did she still feel bad about leaving him? Ah, he sort of reminded her of herself. Well, that sucked. Nobody ever picked her up either. Except Gai-san that one time – but she couldn’t expect him to do that. He wasn’t her guardian or anything.

  
She sat down next to him on the ground.

  
Sasuke glanced at her, but continued to stubbornly pout glaring ahead. They sat like that – silence between them. The only sound she heard was the gentle pitter patter of rain.  
She could have gone home by now, picked up her raincoat and be already done with one lap – so, why was she doing this?!

  
“Nobody ever picks you up either,” muttered the Uchiha suddenly snapping her out of her thoughts.

  
“Aa,” she agreed with a hum.

  
She saw Sasuke smirk from the corner of her eyes.

  
“You and that quite Hyūga girl,” he started saying.

  
Nori turned to look at him. “Hmmm?”

  
“I saw you two sparring one evening.”

  
Gee, what was it with those kids and stalking?

...

  
Ah, yeah... Ninja.

  
“Yes?”

  
He mumbled something incoherent.

  
“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

  
“Could I join you?”

  
Nori blinked a few time at him.  
What the hell was up with those kids, they were nothing like she remembered...But... She never actually met them... This....  
This isn’t a show. Gai... Hinata... They weren’t characters... And, begrudgingly enough – neither was Sasuke.

  
“Sure, but be sure to be on time. I don’t like it when people mess up my schedule.”

  
Sasuke nodded with a small blush on his cheeks. Nori guessed it was embarrassment. “I can do that,” he said seriously. Nori nearly snorted. Way to go from embarrassed to goo’ ol’ serious Sasuke.

  
Nori looked out into the rain. “So, can I walk you home now?”


	4. Chapter 4

Nori watched Sasuke from the corner of her eyes. The boy was no neither smiling nor frowning. They were walking side by side under her umbrella towards the Uchiha compound. She looked back ahead.

  
As they neared the Uchiha compound Nori noticed an older boy with an umbrella stepping out from the gate. In that very moment, Sasuke raced from her side towards him.

  
"Ni-san!"

  
Nori watched as he nearly tackled the older boy to the ground. Her heart nearly stopped as he glanced at her. This had to be him, Uchiha Itachi. She blinked a few times before her eyes landed on Sasuke – the smile he wore; it was bright and radiated happiness. Nori found herself smiling softly. She liked the kid better when he smiled, he actually looked approachable (and cute – not that she would ever say that aloud).

  
"Sasuke, who is your friend?" She heard the older Uchiha ask. Nori made no motion to introduce herself, instead she looked straight at Sasuke and said, "Don't be late tomorrow. It's either 5 or 6:15, pick a time."

  
Then she turned and left.

  
Nori didn't like anyone interrupting her training. He either was to come at five and ran laps with her until Hinata got there – or, he can come at 6:15 when Hinata got there and immediately start sparring.

  
Itachi watched the girl with short, untamed red hair walk away. He watched the back of her umbrella, one thought swimming in his head.  
Was that really the kanji for youth imprinted on the umbrella?

  
Itachi turned back to his little brother who was watching the strange girl walk away as well. Then he poked him on the forehead.  
Sasuke pouted.

  
"Did you deliberately leave your umbrella at home so I come and pick you up?" questioned the older brother.

  
Sasuke looked at the ground. "Maybe," he mumbled under his breath.

  
Itachi laughed.

  
Nori walked home, a frown on her face. The way Sasuke was smiling at his brother was imprinted in her mind. She dreaded the future. She really did.

 

* * *

  
It was Saturday, that meant Nori had woken up, run her morning laps and then practiced jumping. Now – don't laugh. Did you ever notice how ninjas could jump high and fast? Nori had yet to learn how to do that. For now, she was just happy if she could land on her feet without breaking a bone.

  
Today Nori was adding a new training plan to fill in the gap from kanji learning, she still had to practice, but significantly less than before, therefore she had a few hours a week to spare – a few hours that were now being spent on target practice with kunai and shuriken.

  
She flicked one of her new kunai at the target; it didn't even reach it before imbedding itself in the ground. Nori frowned, but didn't let that discourage her. She walked over, picked it up and tried again. The result was pretty much the same, expect this time it flew a little further. Determined to at least hit the target three times in a row, Nori continued.

  
That was the way Gai found her a few hours later. Standing in position in front of the target kunai in had a determined look in her blue eyes. She swung the metal projectile – and missed the target by a few centimeters.

  
"Oi, Nori-chan! You're being most youthful this lovely afternoon!"

  
Nori turned to look at Gai a small smile on her face, her frustration with the kunai nearly forgotten. Gai gave her a big grin in return.

  
She held up the kunai in her hand looking up at Gai. "Have you got any advice, Gai-san?"

  
Gai smiled and nodded showing her what she was doing wrong. Then when she did it, afterward the kunai actually managed to hit the target. Nori's grin could have very well lit up the sky. Gai thought she looked more, eh, youthful, that way. (Whatever that meant.)

  
Nori walked over to the target picking up her scattered kunai along the way.

  
"Ano, Gai-san?"

  
"Yes, Nori-chan?"

  
She bent down to pick up a kunai that landed on the ground. "Would you mind if…"

  
"Yes?"

  
"Would you mind if I called you senpai?"

  
Nori froze a bit when she was met with silence. She didn't dare turn around. Perhaps she had gone too far. It wasn't like Gai was all that close to her. They just occasionally met up and –

  
"NORI-CHAN!"

  
That cry was all the warning she got before Gai tackled her into a hug. He had tears (of youth, according to him) running down his cheeks in small rivers.

  
"How very youthful of you! Of course I will be your senpai!" Suddenly he stood up releasing her from the hug.

  
"Now I must run a hundred – no, a thousand laps around Konoha to prove that I can be the best senpai there is! And if I cannot do that then I will do ten-thousand push-ups instead!" he announced before dashing off leaving behind a bewildered and flustered Nori.

  
Later that day, the Hokage received a complaint about a grown man crying loudly and screaming about youth while running laps around Konoha.

 

* * *

  
That evening Nori started running her usual laps at precisely 5 o'clock. She thought back on Gai's reaction to her calling him senpai now. She was smiling. She had never felt her one hour stamina training go by faster.

  
When she was done, she moved onto the training post to practice hits before Hinata and/or Sasuke arrived. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw Hinata approaching 5 minutes before her usual time.

  
"Hinata-san," she greeted with a polite bow.

  
Hinata bowed back giving her a small smile. "Nori-chan."

  
"Ano, Hinata-san."

  
"Huh?" Hinata looked at her waiting for Nori to go on.

  
"I was wondering about your invitation. Is it a formal event?"

  
Hinata gave her a puzzled look. "Huh?"

  
Nori elaborated. "Am I required to wear a yukata*? I would like to know beforehand so that I may go and purchase one."

  
Hinata shook her head. "Ano, no. It will be just my father, sister and cousin present."

  
Nori nodded, that made her feel a whole lot better. Hinata then asked, "Why do you not have a yukata? Don't you need one to attend festivals?" Hinata truly looked cute when puzzled. She had the cute-kid-thing down to a T.

  
Nori shook her head. "I do not like festivals." Too many people staring and whispering, Nori finished in her mind.

  
Hinata nodded, albeit she still looked confused. "I see."

  
Nori looked around; Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. She sighed; perhaps he had changed his mind.

  
"Let's spare!"

  
Hinata gave her a nod falling into her stance; Nori did the same.

  
They had already exchanged a few hit when they heard a voice shouting.

  
"Wait for me!" Sasuke slowed as he finally came close to the two girls. He was breathing heavily – probably from running all the way here, Nori deduced form his disheveled appearance.

  
"Sorry I'm late." Nori was a little bit stunned by the apology. She had to keep reminding herself that this was a child and not the dark, broody boy from the show.

  
Nori blinked at him a few times. "Don't let it happen again." She glanced at Hinata.

  
"I hope this is alright. He wanted to join."

  
Hinata nodded smiling politely at Sasuke while falling into a polite bow. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you, Sasuke-san."

  
Sasuke nodded returning Hinata's bow. "Likewise." He glanced at Nori.

  
"Ano." Nori looked at him. He was staring at the ground, looking embarrassed. "I never thanked you for yesterday." Blushing he fell into a bow.

  
"Arigato."

  
Nori blinked again.

  
"Aaaaa."

  
Sasuke straightened. "So, what are we doing, Nori-san?"

  
Nori glanced between her two… friends?

  
"We can just go all three at the same time; it will make it more interesting."

  
And it was, only, Hinata sort of faded into the background as Sasuke and Nori battled it out. As Nori had thought, Sasuke had a lot more force behind his hits than her – however, she had the advantage of speed. It was interesting to train with someone who wasn't afraid to hit you back.

  
Finally they finished, neither having won.

  
"You're good," Sasuke acknowledged.

  
Nori nodded at him. "You as well. Ano, Hinata-san?" She turned to the shy girl who was staring at the ground. Was she crying?  
"Hinata-san?" Nori carefully approached her.

  
"G-gomen!" Nori's eyes widened as Hinata tried to bolt away. Thankfully, she was fast enough to catch her.

  
Sasuke was a bit confused and even taught it was his fault she was crying. He hesitantly approached but stayed a bit away from the scene as Nori confronted Hinata.

  
"Hinata-san, are you alright?"

  
Hinata glanced at her through teary lashes. "G-gomenasai."

  
Nori frowned. "Hinata-san, please stop crying and tell me what's wrong."

  
Hinata sniffed a bit slowly calming down. "Gomen, I'm really not a g-good t-tra-training p-partner." She looked so defeated.

  
Nori sighed before reaching out and awkwardly petting Hinata's head. "There, there."

  
Sasuke deadpanned. Nori was really awkward with comforting others, he thought.

  
Hinata gave her a watery smile. Nori returned it. She sometimes forgot she was dealing with children.

  
"Ano, why are you so afraid to hit us?" Sasuke asked. Nori looked expectantly at Hinata.

  
Hinata fidgeted and Nori was suddenly afraid she was going to start crying again. She quickly intervened.

  
"Hinata-san, whatever the reason – I will help you overcome it. Even if it takes me years," she announced. And with Hinata she had a feeling it was going to take quite some time to accomplish it, but she would try because – Hinata was her friend.

  
Hinata smile brightly, all sadness forgotten. "Arigato!"

  
Sasuke looked determined as he approached the Hyūga. He stretched out his arms so that his chest was exposed.

  
"Hit me," he told Hinata. Nori watched fascinated. Hinata looked bewildered.

  
"Hit me," he repeated with a bit more resolve. "I promise nothing bad will happen."

  
Hinata gently reached out and "hit". Nori though she might as well have tapped him on the shoulder.

  
Sasuke frowned turning to Nori. He nodded. "This might take a while," he agreed.

  
Then he turned to Hinata. "You're weird, but at least you're not like the other girls in class. I will help you, too."

  
"A-arigato!" she exclaimed a blush dusting her cheeks. Nori smiled. At least they were getting along. Nori feared Sasuke might get annoyed with Hinata, in which case she would have ditched Sasuke – because Hinata was her friend. However, it looked like Sasuke was a friend in the making.

  
"Let's continue!"

  
The other two nodded. "Hai!"

 

* * *

  
When Hinata left after the sparring Nori turned to Sasuke. "Arigato."

  
Sasuke looked at her, surprised. "Huh?"

  
Looking towards where Hinata disappeared, Nori explained, "Not many people would want to help her. We have been sparring for a month now and she is still too afraid to hurt me. The other kids in the academy call her weird behind her back." Nori paused turning back to look at him.

  
"She is truly just a really kind girl, so thank you for giving her a chance to prove herself."

  
Sasuke was a bit confused with that speech, but nodded nonetheless. "Sure. Ano?"

  
"Huh?"

  
"Does this mean we are friends now?"

  
Nori shrugged. "Friendship isn't something you can just label. It's more like a feeling. It takes time, but – we are on a good road to become friends." Nori didn't know whether that was the answer he was looking for, but she wanted to be honest with him.

  
Sasuke nodded. "I-" he paused, blushed and looked at the ground. "I really want to be your friend. Yours and Hinata-san's."

  
Nori nodded. "Just keep going like this and you will be fine."

  
He smiled slightly. Nori felt her chest burn when the image of a crying Sasuke penetrated her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * A yukata (浴衣) is a Japanese garment, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton or synthetic fabric, and unlined. Men and women wear Yukata. [source: Wikipedia]
> 
> *Souka - Realization of something. Derived from the phrase "I see".


	5. Chapter 5

Nori checked her hair one more time, as if it would suddenly magically straighten. She was wearing her best shirt and one of her black pants. She didn’t have much money to spend around on nonsense. That’s why she was glad when Hinata said she didn’t have to wear a yukata, she really didn’t have the money for that (especially after buying those kunai).

  
The walk to the Hyūga compound was awfully short. When she got to the gate two guards stopped her.

  
“Identify yourself,” one said. By the look in the older one’s eyes, he had a pretty good idea who she was.

  
Nori blinked at him. “Ahhh – I’m Uzumaki Nori. I’m here to see Hinata-san.”

  
The other guard, the younger one, nodded. “Please follow me.”

  
Nori was lead around the compound; from the distance, she could make out the figures of Hinata, another boy approximately her age and a grown man. As she neared them, Nori grew more and more worried. Logically she knew she had nothing to fear – well, actually, when a ninja invites you to their home logically you should probably fear it. But, I digress.

  
“Nori-chan!” Hinata fell into a small bow. Nori blinked before returning it.

  
“Hinata-san, Hyūga-sama and Hyūga-san.”

  
Hiashi stared at her with those pupil-less eyes. On Hinata, they looked somewhat cute, on him, they looked terrifying.  
“My name is Uzumaki Nori; it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  
Hiashi nodded at her. “Nori-chan.”

  
Then he turned and started walking. Hinata mentioned for Nori to follow.

  
No too soon after, she found herself seated around a low table. It was a traditional tatami room, as expected from the Hyūga household.  
The dinner was awkward at best and well, Hanabi’s caretaker whose name Nori learned was Natsu kept glaring daggers at her – supply. Neji was rather impassive. His eyes were – Nori recognized his behavior patterns rather quickly. It was something she had done herself in her past life. To see that sort of polite coldness and emotionless façade on a child his age was truly defeating.

  
The awkward dinner got progressively more awkward as Hiashi started asking questions. They were innocent enough. He wanted to know where Nori lived, who her caretaker was and such – in all honestly she guessed he knew most if not, all that already, this was merely for show.

  
After that awkward encounter, Hiashi was the one to walk Nori back to the gate. When the gate was in sight, Hiashi stopped turning to the girl.

  
“Nori-chan, I hope you’re aware that Hinata is the heiress of the Hyūga, one day she will lead them. I cannot have her distracted from her training because children want to play ninja.”

  
Nori blinked a few times, shocked even though she had expected something like that. Of course, she wasn’t about to defend herself by saying they were sparring either.

  
“I understand – her clan training comes first,” Nori said. “I have no intention of dragging Hinata away from her training.”

  
Hiashi kept his stony gaze trained on her. “The Hyūga fighting style is unique to this clan and no outsider shall learn it.”

  
“Hyūga-sama, Hinata-san is my friend. I have no intention of using her that way, or letting others do so. The Hyūga clan is one of the noble clan’s of Konoha. As a future shinobi, it is also my duty to protect it. I understand your clan has certain customs – ones that I, as an outsider will probably never understand. But, what I do know is that Hinata is my friend, form a noble clan or not. The only thing I care about is her happiness.”

  
Hiashi seemed satisfied with that answer if not mildly impressed.

  
“I’m glad we understand each other.”

  
Nori gave him a polite bow. “Hyūga-sama.”

  
He gave her a nod back and watched as she left the compound through the gate.

  
Curious… she is nothing like that woman. He thought – an image of a cheerful red haired woman in his mind. However, she does share her looks – though, her eyes…  
They were serious for a child, almost too serious.

 

* * *

  
A week has passed since that fiasco. Hinata, of course, blissfully unaware of the words exchanged between Nori and Hiashi. Her training regime continued as planned, Sasuke joining the each day. Sometimes he made it for the laps, though he couldn’t really keep up with Nori. It was a fact that somehow bothered him – but, Nori seemed to sense it and explained to him that she had been running for years now and that she was building her body for speed rather than strength. Sasuke’s fighting style and clan favored the latter.

  
It was Monday today and as she was done with academy Nori found herself walking down the streets towards her apartment.

  
“Get the hell away you Akuma*!”

  
In front of Nori appeared a yellow-eyed cat with pitched black fur, ruffled and tail swishing. Their eyes connected for just a second before the cat dashed away down the alleyway. Nori blinked a few times.

  
The shop owner who was yelling and chasing the cat with a broom scoffed as it disappeared before his eyes turned to Nori. The scoff deepened and she hear him muttered something about two demons in one day before he disappeared back into his shop.

  
She shook her head and continued walking.

 

* * *

  
That evening she just got done with her laps when Sasuke was seen coming towards her only he wasn’t alone. Along him were none other than Uchiha Itachi and another boy slightly older than Itachi.

  
Sasuke looked half-happy half-embarrassed by the situation. The oldest of the boys immediately lapsed into conversation.

  
“Hello there! You must be Sasuke-chan’s friend! Maa, maa. Aren’t you cute?!” Then he turned to Sasuke with a teasing smile.

  
“Sasuke-chan, you didn’t tell me you were friends with such a cute girl!”

  
Sasuke turned red before angrily snapping. “Shut up, Shisui-nii!”

  
Nori tensed a bit. The name didn’t immediately ring any bells, but it was important. That much she knew. If only she could remember.

  
Shisui turned back to her. “My name is Uchiha Shisui and that’s Sasuke’s older brother, Uchiha Itachi.” He smiled a lot, Nori deduced. He sort of reminded her of Gai, if only because he radiated happiness.

  
Nori fell into a bow. “My name is Uzumaki Nori; it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  
Shisui grinned. “Maa, maa. Aren’t you well behaved! Sasuke you didn’t tell me…!”

  
Nori tuned him out as he fell into an argument with the youngest Uchiha.

  
Itachi and she sort of found themselves on the sidelines watching. “Please forgive him,” Itachi apologized for his friend.

  
Nori smiled softly. “I like him, he reminds me of senpai.” She made no move to elaborate who her senpai was.

  
Itachi nodded. “Aaa.”

  
Finally, after they were done with their argument, Shisui decided to turn back to her.

  
“You know,” he said inspecting her hair. “Your hair is short and red and spikes around you and those cute two whisker marks on your cheeks! You’re like a chibi-raion!”  
His face lit up. "Raion-chan! That's your new nickname!"

  
Nori blinked at him. "Huh?"

  
Itachi sighed. Sasuke glared.

  
Thankfully, before the situation could go any further Hinata appeared into the scene, albeit a little confused at first.

  
"Ohayou!" Nori nodded at her.

  
Shisui grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Saaasuke-chan! You didn't tell me you were friends with two cute girls!"

  
Sasuke looked ready to pounce at him.

 

* * *

  
After that encounter with the Uchiha duo, Nori lapsed back into her routine. Unfortunately, now she seemed too often magically run into Shisui who took every opportunity to shout out his new nickname for her.

  
Today was Thursday which meant kunai practice. So Nori made her way towards the training field. She had nearly reached it when she encountered something she probably thought she would never see in her life. A solemn looking Gai sitting in the middle of the training field brooding.

  
“Senpai?"

  
Gai looked up a bit surprised. He must have let his guard down.

  
“My youthful kohai, Nori-chan! I’m sorry,” he apologized. Nori blinked at him. “I never wanted you to see me being this un-youthful.”

  
Nori smiled before sitting down in front of him on the ground. “What’s bothering you, senpai?”

  
“Ah, it’s my eternal rival! He has fallen down a dark path! It is my job to bring him back on the path of youth!” And he was crying rivers.  
Nori blinked repeatedly. Eternal rival? She should have watched the show more thoroughly.

  
“Aaa.”  
“It’s not something a young girl like you needs to concern herself with.”

  
Nori drew her eyebrows together. “Ano, if he has gone down a dark path, then the only thing you could would be to show him the light. He has to walk back out on his own.”

  
Gai stared at Nori a bit. “Huh?”

  
“Isn’t it generally so? If somebody is trapped within a well then it would be pretty dumb to jump inside and trying to save them, well, if you weren’t a shinobi that is. Getting trapped with them in the dark won’t help them.” She smiled a bit. “But, you can always throw them a rope, that way you helped, but they climbed out themselves. You can be their lifeline, but it’s on them whether they will climb out. Just be sure not to pull back the rope. I know this isn’t always true, but…”

  
Nori stopped when she felt Gai put his hand on her head ruffling her hair slightly. “Maa, what an interesting insight! I will be sure to show Kakashi exactly what he has been missing!”

  
Nori smiled, Gai seemed to be back to his old self. “Hai.”

  
“Thank you, youthful kohai!” And with that said he dashed off. Nori sighed. Back to kunai practice.

  
Meanwhile Gai was thinking about what Nori had said. For such a young girl to think that way… She had used a metaphor even a child would understand, but the message it held was wisdom beyond her year. He had a feeling she had more to say, but… he may be wrong. Either way, he couldn’t wait to see what Uzumaki Nori would do in this world.

 

* * *

  
As Nori was walking back home from kunai practice to eat something before her usual laps she saw a woman looking around, probably lost by the look of despair on her face. Nori remembered how lost she had been when she started exploring Konoha the first time – thankfully she had had Gai to show her properly around.

  
However, if this woman was new to Konoha then it was best for her that she wasn’t seen with Nori. And even if Nori did help somebody would just tell her to stay away from Nori – and, as people are, she would.

  
“Sumimasen.”

  
Nori looked up into a pair of glassy green eyes. “Huh?”

  
“Sorry, could you help me out? I’m a little lost.”

  
Nori sighed when the whispering started. “Uhmm, sure.”

  
The woman gave her a grateful smile. “Arigato!”

  
The woman gave Nori her address and Nori lead the way. The funny part was that the woman’s apartment was in her building just on one of the lower floors. Nori didn’t tell her that. Somebody would tell her soon enough.

  
When they reached the building the woman looked up with wide, child-like eyes. Nori deduced she must have come from one of the smaller villages surrounding Konoha.  
“My! This building is so high!” She said in wonder.

  
“This is the place. You should find your way around quickly. If you will excuse me!”

  
“Ano, wait please! I don’t even know your name.” She gave her such a kind and grateful smile that Nori dreaded seeing the same dead eyes, the other people in Konoha held, on her face.

  
Nori turned only a bit. “Uzumaki Nori.” And she walked away.

  
“Arigato!”

  
Nori ignored her. Getting invested in such a person, who was non-shinobi, would just cause her too much pain. Even some shinobi didn’t understand her situation – those who had lost loved ones that night, when the Kyūbi attacked. Civilians didn’t even try to understand – and, unfortunately she could see their viewpoint.

  
Ayumi watched the strange girl disappear around the corner and frowned. The girl was so small. Ayumi wondered why she wasn’t with her parents – but, her brother warned her that shinobi villages worked differently than their small one. They were so big too! You could just get lost. How was she ever going to find that person this way? Oh, well, one step at a time! Smiling she stepped into the building and her new life.

 

* * *

  
When she was returning that evening from her sparring session with Hinata and Sasuke she saw a most peculiar sight. In an alleyway, next to her building, the same cat she had seen a while ago. Akuma. He was surrounded by a bunch of other cats, it seemed like they were about to attack him.

  
Nori did note that he looked absolutely fierce. His yellow eyes aflame.

  
Nori shook her head. It wasn’t her business what a bunch of alley cats were doing.

  
Later that evening it was raining heavily outside. Nori stared out the window. Her memory flashed with an image of Akuma surrounded by the other cats.  
Her hand twitched a bit before she shook her head. No, this is stupid…

  
She watched as lightning flashed before the sound of thunder could be heard. She scoffed.

  
“Agh! I’m not going to get a wink of sleep if I don’t do this!” she declared before getting up grabbing her raincoat and walking out the door.

  
She walked around the alley watching out for anything out the order. When she had nearly passed the entire alley with nothing found she was about to give up when a pain meow filled her ears. She had nearly missed it over the sound of the rain.

  
She turned and her eyes widened. Lying in a pool of blood was a one-eyed Akuma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Akuma – Japanese for “demon” or “devil”  
> *Raion – Japanese for “lion”


	6. Chapter 6

Akuma stared holes through Nori with his one good eye. The only fuss he could put up while she carried him up to her apartment was the low hissing sound. Nori didn't think he would survive the night as he was. She had cleaned out his wounds the best she could while Akuma watched her with a critical gaze. The cat seemed to be assessing her. She ignored his boring yellow gaze the best she could.

  
"You're pretty lonely too, huh?" she muttered after a while of them just staring at each other. A flash of lightning lit up the room.

  
The cat meowed softly, but Nori could tell even that simple motion pained him. She remembered back when she saw him being chased out of the shop.

  
"Akuma, huh?" They call him a demon. "I guess we are more alike than I realized at first."

  
She got up and left towards her bedroom leaving Akuma on a blanket in the living room. "Goodnight, Akuma."

  
She killed the lights.

 

* * *

  
"A cat?" asked Hinata as Nori told her about Akuma.

  
"Yeah."

  
"Why Akuma though?" Sasuke. It had been a while since he joined them for lunch during academy, much to the displeasure of his fans. Nori thought they were going to put up much more of a fuss about it, but apparently for some reason Nori herself scared them. Sasuke told her it was because she was too quiet and looked quite dangerous when thinking about something.

  
Nori shrugged.

  
"That's what people in the village call him from what I have gathered. He is quite famous as a trouble maker." It was true enough, Nori had caught some tales after she visited Ichiraku's, a place she didn't frequent, but sometimes – well, she likes Shōyu, deal with it. Akuma was known for stealing food. That cat had more stealth than some shinobi (according to Teuchi).

  
"Huh, it still d-doesn't s-sound safe. He could carry diseases." Nori blinked a few times. Actually now that she thought about it, she hadn't been sick even once since she was born in this world. It must be because of her magical tenant.

  
"I suppose, but I felt bad about leaving him out in the storm," she muttered putting her head down onto her arms, which were on the table.

  
"Do you think I could get his paw print?"

  
Nori looked up a bit startled. "Huh?"

  
Sasuke looked slightly embarrassed. "Never mind."

  
Nori smiled a bit, her head still lying down. "Only once he is better."

  
Sasuke hid a smile.

 

* * *

  
Nori was not a happy camper today. Hinata and Sasuke ditched her because of clan related matter or rather, as in Sasuke's case, brother related. The result – Nori had no sparring partner. She was actually surprised that she missed them that much to begin with. Akuma was not an option either, the cat slept a lot, but from what Nori gather with her limited knowledge of medicine he should be fine. He already started drinking the milk she lied out for him and moved a little more each day. This of course meant he put up more of a fight whenever she wanted to check on his wounds.

  
As Nori was climbing up a tree, she was again amazed at her ability to unintentionally run into important people from this universe.  
"Then we can't be friends anymore!" exclaimed the blonde as she pointed towards the pink-haired girl.

  
Nori sighed. She had already guessed thing would turn badly after the fascination with Sasuke started. She had seen the duo every day in class, not that she talked to them. It was a pity; they seemed like really good friends.

  
"Huh, how stupid," she said quietly, but clearly not quietly enough.

  
The two girl looked up to where Nori was sitting on a tree branch.

  
"Wha-? You're that girl from the academy!" exclaimed Ino as if that explained anything.

  
Sakura nodded. "The one that hangs out with Sasuke-kun!"

  
Now both girls were glaring at her. Nori heaved a sigh. "Right," she muttered. What was she expecting form children?

  
"Are you really breaking up your friendship over Sasuke-san?" Nori had a hard time grasping the concept. Since she became friends with Hinata, she didn't think she would be able to give up her friend over a silly crush.

  
"Maybe it's better that way," she said after the other two girl said nothing.

  
"What do you mean?" inquired Ino.

  
Nori looked at them from her position above. "If your friendship is that fragile that it would break on a thing like this then it wasn't real friendship to begin with."

  
Ino grew angrier while Sakura stood of to the side, she was clearly thinking about what Nori was saying.

  
Nori frowned. "Giving up a friend for a boy you barely know anything about – it's stupid."

  
Ino was a bit stunned, but hid it well. "And you think you're so great just because you get to hang out with Sasuke-kun!"

  
Nori shook her head. "This discussion is stupid." She jumped of the tree, thankfully she hadn't been that high up to begin with.

  
"Oi, I'm talking to you!" Ino shouted after her retreating form.

  
Nori stopped a bit. Without turning around, she said. "If you are truly friends with someone, shouldn't their happiness be more important than your own? I'm not saying you should harm yourself to make them happy, but… Never mind, you wouldn't understand it anyway."

  
Nori really didn't understand girls (except Hinata), that's why she never had any female (or male) friends in her past life. One other reason could also be her blunt personality, but – that would be analyzing it too much. Nori didn't care about that anymore. Not when she had Hinata and Sasuke now.

 

* * *

  
  
The next day Nori fully expected Ino to shot daggers at her and probably plot her early death. It didn't bother her, but it was funny to think about the little blonde that way. They start so early, Nori thought with a grin.

  
"Nori-chan, are you alright?" Nori looked up at Hinata surprised. They were sitting in their usual seats waiting for either Sasuke or their sensei to show up.  
"Yeah, why are you asking?"

  
Hinata fiddled her thumbs looking down, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "You w-were s-sm-milling!"

  
Nori blinked before a small smile slipped back onto her face. "I guess. Why is that unusual?"

  
Hinata looked at her sideway. "You don't smile a lot; when you do you usually have a good reason."

  
Nori stared at the Hyūga girl for a while before nodding. "I haven't really noticed, but you're probably right. Smiling isn't something I do often. It's not that I'm unhappy, it's more that I don't usually have a reason to smile."

  
"S-souka."

  
Nori looked up as the door to the classroom slid open. This early on she expected it to be Sasuke, but look there; it was Yamanaka Ino of all the people. Nori restrained from sighing. Hinata threw her a worried glance, sensing her distress.

  
"It's nothing to worry about," she assured her friend as the Yamanaka approached their desk. Nori wondered what the girl had to say. She didn't figure Ino to be the type for such confrontations, but she was observing a 5 to 6 year old – they were unpredictable.

  
"You," she started saying while pointing at the redhead. "Thank you!" Moreover, the blonde smiled brightly.

  
Nori blinked at her. "Huh?"

  
Hinata was equally as confused as her best friend.

  
"You were right," elaborated the girl. "It was stupid to break up our friendship like that. And in the end we realized that neither of us wanted to do that anyway. So, thank you." Nori could tell it wasn't easy for Ino to admit she had been wrong so she gave the small girl in front of her a small smile.

  
"Aaaa." Hinata smiled. Leave it to Nori to fall back into monosyllables.

  
"Anyway, I was thinking we should hang out after school!" Ino then lapsed into all the fun thing, none of which Nori found appealing they could do together. Nori let her finish before interjecting.

  
"That's all fine, but I have a schedule and Hinata has training with her clan, Sasuke also trains at home most the time."

  
Ino looked a bit baffled. "Schedule?"

  
Nori nodded explaining her schedule to Ino, Hinata all the while quietly giggling in the back. Her friend was sometimes so silly, but Hinata liked her. She had found someone who didn't think she was weird and wasn't bothered by her stuttering.

  
"That's stupid!" Ino pouted.

  
"Hn, maybe to you, but my goal in life is to graduate so I can fulfill my dream."

  
"Dream?"

  
Hinata was now interested as well.

  
"I actually have more than one dream, but even if only one comes true I will be happy. The one I'm currently aiming for is to travel the world."

  
"Travel? Well, that does sound like fun," Ino agreed with Hinata nodding. "And the other one?" questioned the blonde.

  
Nori looked a bit embarrassed. "Ah, that's n-not that important," she mumbled with a small blush dusting her cheeks. Ino grinned.

  
"You're actually quite cute. You always look so quiet and a bit scary. You should smile more.“

  
Nori just hummed. That seemed to conclude the conversation as more students filled into the classroom and Sasuke finally joined them. Ino chose to sit in front of them, but made no move to fawn over Sasuke this time only greeting Sakura who gave Nori a small smile before sitting next to her blonde-haired friend.

  
„What was that about?“ asked Sasuke. The kid really was observant, especially for his age.

  
„Nothing – ahh, Akuma will be better soon, however I don't think he will be giving up that print without a fight. He still won't let me pet him, but yesterday I left the window open and he didn't leave.“

  
Hinata smiled. „Maybe he is testing you?“

  
Nori looked at her with surprise, Sasuke as well. „Huh?“

  
Hinata blushed at the attention from her two friends. „Well, you said he was a street cat, maybe he doesn't trust you yet?“ suggested the Hyūga heiress.

  
Well, the kid here did act more mature than back in her old life. „I suppose that is logical. Arigato.“

  
Hinata smiled; clearly pleased she could be of help.

 

* * *

  
Nori was in high spirits that afternoon as she was walking back to her apartment. She was not expecting to find such a pathetic sight in front of her building.  
The woman whom Nori had accompanied several days ago, was now a crying mess in the hallway. Nori really didn't know what to say. Half of her hoped the woman wouldn't even notice her, but she did.

  
"O-ohayou!" she said wiping at her tearstained face. "Nori-chan, right? I didn't know you lived here too." She tried to smile and failed miserably.

  
Nori titled her head to the side, observing her. "Are you alright?"

  
Ayumi nodded softly. "H-hai."

  
Nori frowned. "I don't like people who lie," she said firmly watching as the woman's eyes widened.

  
Nori set in front of her, cross-legged.

  
Ayumi tried to smile. "Shouldn't you be getting home? Your parents will be worried," she suggested, not wanting to bother such a little girl with her problems.

  
"Ahh, I don't have any. I live alone."

  
Ayumi was in shock after that statement left Nori's lips. "A-alone! But you're so small!"

  
Nori shrugged. "I'm almost six."

  
Ayumi continued to frown. "Ah, that's right, I never introduced myself. I'm Ayumi."

  
Nori nodded. "Pleasure." She looke dup at the ceiling. "So, Ayumi-san, what seems to be the problem."

 

* * *

  
"No money?"

  
Ayumi nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. "H-hai, I was going to find work, but…"

  
"You found nothing?"

  
Ayumi nodded, she looked so broken it was a bit heartbreaking for Nori. "I came here because I was looking for someone," she blushed and suddenly Nori found her less cute. Please don't tell her Ayumi is looking for some guy, please, pleas- "He actually rescued me a while back and I- Well." Her face went red, Nori nearly cried. What a nutcase.

  
"So you left your family behind to chase after a guy. I'm assuming he was a shinobi?"

  
Ayumi nodded. "Hai!"

  
Nori frowned. How should she explain to a civilian that that shinobi probably forgot her face as soon as he saw it. She was just part of a mission, once the mission is done- Beside's, shinobi rarely mingled with woman outside of shinobi families.

  
Even if a woman wasn't a shinobi herself, she ought to know the lifestyle. It would be very hard for a civilian who doesn't know about shinobi to part from her child and send them to school to become ruthless killers in the future.

  
"Ayumi-san, gomen." That was all Nori had to say. Ayumi seemed to understand.

  
"I- I think I get it now. It was stupid; he probably doesn't even remember my name." Nori nodded giving her a sympathetic face.

  
"What should I do?" asked the older girl. "I don't think I can face my family after this. They all warned me and still-"

  
"Ayumi-san, sorry for interrupting, but perhaps I can be of some help. Please follow me."

  
It was a good thing Nori knew Teuchi had been looking for some help since his daughter was still too young to work many hours or help more than necessary.  
As she was walking Ayumi towards Ichiraku's Ramen, she ran into none other than Gai.

  
"Senpai!" she greeted enthusiastically. Somehow, whenever she saw Gai her day seemed brighter. He just carried that kind of radiant energy with him, Nori thought.

  
Ayumi was fascinated by the shinobi who stopped in front of them.

  
Gai didn't want to approach at first, but when he noted the addition which was following after Nori he decided to investigate what kind of person was mingling with his kohai.  
"Youthful Nori-chan! How are you? Ah, who might your youthful companion be?" he didn't even let her say anything before introducing himself. "I'm Maito Gai, Konoha's Sublime Green Best of Prey."

  
Nori hid a smile at Ayumi's bafelled expression.

  
"O-ohayou, my name is Ayumi." Gai gave them both one of his blinding smiles.

  
"And where might you be going?"

  
Nori answered. "Ayumi-san was looking for work. I happen to know Teuchi-san was looking for help." Gai nodded.

  
"Well, then I won't hold you up any longer. It was nice meeting you, Ayumi-san! Youthful kohai!" and of he was.

  
"Ah?"

  
Nori looked up at the woman next to her. "He is a friend of mine."

  
Ayumi nodded, she didn't question it.

  
Finally they arrived at the ramen stand. Nori greeted the owner who gave her a hearty greeting and a warm smile.

  
"Nori-chan. It's been a while! Do you want your usual?" Nori could help it, Teuchi was so nice to her when she compared him to the rest of the villagers – it was nice to be treated that way – like everybody else.

  
"Ohayou, Teuchi-san. Ano, no I didn't come here to eat, I will come back after training. I brought Ayumi-san with me." She pointed at the woman next to her. "Are you still looking for help? She is new in the village and needs a job, so I thought…" Yeah, what did she think? It's not like Teuchi owned her, ah well, she tried.

  
"Ahh, is that so? Well, then Ayumi-san, have you ever worked with ramen before, or in a restaurant?"

  
Ayumi dropped her head; she must have heard that a lot all day. Probably why she couldn't find a job. She had no experience with anything.

  
"Ano, no, but I can learn!" Nori could hear the despair in her voice and clearly, Teuchi could too. The man gave her a small smile.

  
"I'm sure you can. Well, then you better get started early!" Ayumi's face lit up.

  
"Really!?" Teuchi gave her a nod. "Arigato!"

  
"Come on in! I will see you later then, Nori-chan!"

  
Nori gave him a small smile. "Hai!"

 

* * *

  
  
Later that evening after Nori had left the ramen stand Gai approached and sat down. Ayumi happily turned towards the new costumer only to be surprised to face the shinobi she had met early today, Nori's friend Gai.

  
"Ohayou! What would you like?" she asked as kindly as possible.

  
"Ahh," Gai gave her a smile. "I would like miso, please!"

  
Ayumi did note that he was really loud, but Nori liked him and she liked Nori, the girl had helped her so much – and to think she was so young and little!  
After Gai had finished his meal he turned his gaze to Ayumi. There were no other costumers there and Teuchi was off in the back. Gai had chosen this moment specifically.

  
"Ayumi-san, wasn't it?" At her nod he continued. "I just want to warn you. Please don't lead on Nori-chan."

  
Ayumi looked at him, surprised. "Huh?"

  
Gai's eyes were unusually serious for his person as he spoke. "Nori-chan is a very kind girl, I would hate for her to get hurt. As you have noticed the villagers do not like her very much. For a child that young that leaves certain marks. Nori-chan is very quiet and has a hard time making friends and trusting people in general – but, she is still very kind – she did help you. If you do not intend to stay her friend no matter what, then please distance yourself from her now before she gets to attached to you only to be let down."

  
Ayumi was stunned to say the least. "A-ano, I have no intention of shunning Nori-chan. She has been nothing but kind and helpful to me."

  
Gai nodded, albeit he still looked grim. "I hope for Nori-chan's sake that you are telling the truth."

  
With that said, he left Ayumi who was staring after his retreating form, shocked.

  
Why would people hate such a sweet little girl?


	7. Chapter 7

Ayumi never felt like she didn't belong. At home, with her brothers and parents, she was always surrounded by people – so much, that at times she was annoyed. Now, that she was alone in a foreign place– she felt so alone – it was nearly painful. Then there was Nori. Sweet, little, innocent Nori. In Ayumi's eyes, the little girl was a total hero to her. The first day of her arrival in Konoha Ayumi had been completely lost.

  
Everybody seemed to be minding his or her own business and Ayumi suddenly felt too shy to talk to anyone. Then, in the crowd of people, she saw a small figure that only stood out by the vibrant colour of her short cut hair – Uzumaki Nori, as she had introduced herself. Ayumi found the girl to be an enigma in her own right. The girl could have not been older than five (or close to six as Ayumi had learned). At first, she was a bit worried when she saw that the little girl was all alone out on the street, but then she had remembered her oldest brother's words – shinobi villages were different. Still, the thought of such a little thing all alone – living alone. It didn't sit well with her. She didn't have many memories about when she was Nori's age – but, what she did remember is that she could barely write her name, let alone live by herself.

  
Then Nori went and solved her biggest issue about remaining in Konoha. So naturally, Ayumi felt anger at the woman who was telling her to stay away from that thing. Thing? Nori was anything but a thing! She was a sweet, little girl – albeit rather quiet and curious – she was still just a little girl.

  
"Please leave," Ayumi told the startled older woman in a whisper.

  
The woman's eyes suddenly turned cold. "Fine, if you want to associate with that – that demon! Just know that you won't find any friend in this village if you do." And with a huff, the woman left Ayumi to stare after her.

  
Ayumi was appalled to say the least. A demon? Why? It didn't make any sense to her. At all. However, Gai-san's words seemed to finally make sense to her.

  
If you do not intend to stay her friend no matter what, then please distance yourself from her now before she gets too attached to you only to be let down.  
  


* * *

  
One Year Later

* * *

  
"Shisui-san. Itachi-san," Nori greeted the two Uchiha as she stepped into the house of the clan head. Shisui grinned at her.

  
"Raion-chan! Call me Shisui! Or Nii-san!"

  
Nori blinked her gaze still passive. "Shisui-san."

  
Shisui dropped his head mumbling something incoherent under his breath. She swore she heard the other Uchiha faintly chuckle – might have been just her imagination, though…

  
"Sasuke is in the garden."

  
Nori gave Itachi a grateful smile. She bowed slightly before walking towards the back of the house. This was her second time visiting Sasuke in his house – and she was no less tense than the first time. Under the scrutinizing gaze of the clan leader, she had suddenly been grateful that Itachi and Sasuke had such an annoyingly delightful cousin. Maybe it was something only clan leaders had, judging by Hiashi and Fugaku – they were two very scary and serious men. Nori didn't trust herself around them.

  
"Nori!" Sasuke exclaimed as soon as she was in his sight. A faint smile appeared on her face as the boy raced towards her. She didn't know the exact moment when Sasuke had began to be more friendly and less formal around Hinata and her, but she found it somewhat refreshing nonetheless.

  
"Sasuke-san." Sasuke just smiled at that. Then he took her hand and started dragging her towards the Uchiha training grounds.

  
"Come on, I gotta show you my new jutsu!" Nori didn't say anything as he continued dragging her.

  
Itachi stared after the enigma of a girl being dragged away by his little brother.

  
Uzumaki Nori. The jinchuuriki. The girl was probably just as quiet as Itachi, extremely perceptive – Itachi could tell just by the way her eyes would sweep over the room before she entered how they would sweep over him. For the first time ever he felt like he was being read like an open book. Uzumaki Nori was a little girl - she didn't scare Uchiha Itachi.

  
Itachi caught the clear blue eyes just as she disappeared around the corner with his brother. She didn't scare him – but, she may be slightly unsettling to deal with.

  
"Young love, what do you think, Itachi? Oi, are you even listening to me?" Itachi glanced over at his cousin.

  
"Huh?"

  
Shisui shook his head. "Never mind. I think we have more pressing matters to discuss." He said, as he suddenly turned serious. Itachi merely nodded.

 

* * *

  
Nori noted that Mikoto seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with her life. The second Nori walked through the door the woman had stared her down. Nori suddenly remembered that Kushina and she had been somewhat friends. Her red hair was a dead giveaway of her heritage. That and her surname.

  
"Nori-chan, how are you dear?" Mikoto was smiling nicely at her. Nori blinked.

  
"I'm alright. Thank you for asking, Uchiha-san."

  
Mikoto kept smiling. "I think I told you to call me Mikoto." Nori nodded, but didn't correct herself.

  
Sasuke seemed to have enough of being ignored. "Where is Nii-san?"

  
Mikoto smiled at her youngest son. "Shisui and he went to train."

  
Nori didn't actually believe that. She knew that they must have been discussing the upcoming coup. "Come on Nor-" Mikoto stopped him mid-sentence.

  
"Not now Sasuke, I just finished dinner. Come on you two, wash your hands and come eat, yes?" Nori nodded as she followed the pouting Sasuke.

  
Mikoto hid it well; Nori had to give her that. It was clear that the woman was tense. Nori noticed it by her movements and the tired expression that would briefly flash across her face.

  
"So, Nori, what do you think about my jutsu? It's awesome right? Nii-san is better, though – I will catch up to him-" Nori only listened half-heartedly as Sasuke chatted away, her gaze fixed on the Uchiha matriarch. It was close then. It could even be a matter of days. Nori looked down at the food – her appetite gone.

  
Her gaze flickered to Sasuke. He was such a happy child – why did it have to be he who had to descend into madness? She wasn't Naruto – she didn't even have the slightest idea of how to help, what to say? Oh, what would she say? It wasn't like she knew what it was like. She had died that time – not her family. They were left to grieve. Yes, she missed them – but it had grown to such a faint painful whisper in the back of her mind that she had no desire to call it back.

  
"Nori! Are you even listening?" pouted the young Uchiha.

  
Nori smiled. "I like you better when you smile," she announced bluntly.

  
Sasuke blushed pink. "Uh, well - *cough* T-thanks." Nori just grinned.

  
Mikoto smiled when she saw the interaction between her son and her late friend's daughter. True, Nori was nothing like Kushina personality wise, but she looked so much like the woman when she grinned that it was painful to watch. She briefly wondered if Kushina would have approved of the friendship, but as she looked at the children smiling, she had no doubt she would have.

* * *

  
A Few Weeks Later

* * *

  
Nori had waited for any news, for any signs. She saw nothing to indicate the massacre. She knew it had been triggered by something that had happened to Shisui, but she had no idea what.

  
"Meow!" Nori looked at her lap to see Akuma splayed across it on his back. When did he get there? One of his paws reached up catching her across the nose, but his claws weren't extended. The action was actually pleasant.

  
"I'm fine," she assured the cat as she petted him behind the ear. His favourite spot.  
"Meow!"

  
Nori smile softly. "I wonder…" She glanced out the window at the darkening sky. "Is it horrible of me that I won't do anything? If – no, when Sasuke finds out he will have every right to hate me. I find myself hating this decision – hating myself. What would you do?" she asked the cat.

 

* * *

  
The following morning it was announced that Uchiha Shisui had committed suicide.

  
A week later, Uchiha Itachi had massacred his entire clan – or at least that was the official version.

  
At first, they hadn't let her into Sasuke's hospital room, but then the Hokage had come and with one look she was sitting next to Sasuke's hospital bed, waiting for him to wake up.

  
She had expected him to be hysterical when he awoke, crying even – she had not expected the cold dead eyes that greeted her.

  
"Sasuke?"

  
He ignored her. "Itachi – h-he…" His voice broke as he stared of into nothing.

  
Nori didn't even dare to touch him. Right now he was as fragile as a deer and just as easily spooked. Instead, she let him talk. And he did. After he had calmed down, that is. It didn't take the Uchiha boy long to go from dead silent to sobbing within minutes. He had latched onto Nori the first chance he got. It must have been hours later that he had fallen asleep again. Nori thought that she had to talk to him. However, right now the trauma of what happened was excessively high.

 

* * *

  
He slept through the whole of the next couple days. Nori wasn't allowed to stay while she had academy, but she made sure to come back right after classes were finished. Hinata had heard the news, but couldn't visit herself as technically all visits were restricted. Good thing the Hokage liked her – or rather felt so guilty about her situation and Sasuke's he would practically grant her any wish.

  
"GET OUT!"

  
Nori didn't even have to think to know that was Sasuke's voice. Sweet little happy Sasuke sounded so bitter and angry, but underneath it he was scared. Nori didn't think twice before she entered the hospital room to find a nurse cleaning away food that had fallen of the tray that lay a bit away from her. Sasuke must have knocked it over.

  
"Sasuke?" She carefully approached him, but Sasuke's eyes were on the nurse, once she left with one last look of pity towards the Uchiha boy he finally looked Nori in the eyes.

  
"N-Nori?"

  
Nori gave him a small smile before he pulled her up to hug her. She returned it. They sat like that for what seemed like hours, Sasuke's grip on her never lessening.

  
"I will kill him," he whispered suddenly. Nori tensed.

  
"What?"

  
He released her looking intently into her eyes. They were no longer the eyes of an innocent little boy. They were cold – dead even.

  
"I will kill him. I will revenge my clan."

  
Nori put a hand on his shoulder – he tensed at the action and it hurt her to see him like that.

  
"Sasuke, I cannot tell you what to do." He looked at her. "You alone know what happened, but-" She paused unsure of how to proceed. "Itachi," Sasuke tensed at the name, "didn't seem like the type of person to do something so rash."

  
"He killed them! All of them. M-my parents!" Nori kept a calm face.

  
"I know."

  
Sasuke grew angry. "You don't know anything!" he screamed at her. Nori didn't let it get to her.

  
"You're right I don't know anything," she agreed. "I didn't have a family. I don't have a brother and I certainly never was in your situation. But, what I do know is people and how to observe them. I take pride in that. And Sasuke?"

  
He blankly looked at her. "Itachi was not – is not a psychopath. The way he acted after Shisui-" she didn't finish, closing her eyes before proceeding. "There was something going on. Isn't that what they teach us at the academy? Look underneath the underneath?" Sasuke's hands trembled his gaze fixated on his lap.

  
"H-he told me that I should hate him – that only like that I could kill him."

  
Nori put a hand over his closed fist. "Remember all the stories you made me tell you when you were bored?"

  
It was true, being children she could easily entertain Sasuke and Hinata with old childhood stories she had either read or watched growing up in her old life. He nodded.

  
"When did revenge ever work in them?"

  
Sasuke scoffed. "This is not a story!" he said strongly. Nori nodded.

  
"Stories are made to teach us a lesson. Hate it's like – like a disease. At first, you don't feel any different. Then, as time goes by it consumes more and more of you until it's in every pore of your being. In the end, it will kill who you used to be and replaced it with a shadow. I don't want to see that happen to you," she admitted suddenly sounding selfish and petty. She had no idea – not even the slightest of how he felt. She was an adult in a child's body.

  
"Underneath the underneath?" he asked after a while.

  
Nori nodded. "Itachi was your brother and nobody knows him better than you do. You are the only one who can truly judge what Itachi has done and the only one to truly question it. You have every right to be angry, but don't let your anger cloud your judgment."

  
A long moment of silence followed. Sasuke seemed to be thinking intently.

  
Arms encircled her suddenly. "What should I do?" he asked sounding so small and broken.

  
"Whatever you decide, I will be there. I promise. But, don' let others rule your life. Don't even let Itachi do it."

  
He was silent for a while before finally speaking up.

  
"I wanna know what happened. What really happened and Itachi will be the one to tell me the truth. The whole truth."

  
Nori nodded as the separated and looked each other in the eye silently making a promise. "You will, I will make sure that you will."


	8. Chapter 8

Sasuke awoke with a jolt. His eyes were wide with panic as he looked around the unfamiliar dark room. His heart was beating wildly in his chest and his eyes were tearing at the memories that were still fresh in his mind.

  
"Sasuke?"

  
His wide eyes looked up at the red haired girl. Her bright blue eyes, at just one glance, looked no different, but Sasuke could see that she was thinking – he was just glad she didn't pity him like everybody else. She was exactly what he needed – a pillar that kept him sane.

  
"You don't have to be here every night," he said softly. He watched as she smiled – her eyes closed and she titled her head back. He knew she was exhausted.

  
Since he left the hospital, he had been given an apartment in the shinobi district of the village. He didn't have to go back to the academy yet- whenever he was ready, they had said. Sasuke had not fared well that first night. He didn't know how she knew, but Nori had snuck into his apartment that first night and had been there when he had woken up crying and hysterical. It amazed Sasuke why she even bothered most the time. A blind man could tell she was exhausted from balancing going to the academy to spending every night by his side in case he had a nightmare. She pretty much lived on his couch. Little to say the guilt was eating away at the Uchiha.

  
Nori petted his hair and Sasuke would sooner bite his own arm of than admit it was actually pleasant and made him feel safe –he couldn't describe it, it was just how he felt. Soon after that, he fell back asleep to Nori still petting his hair.

 

* * *

  
"Nori-chan?" a quiet voice called out.

  
"Hmm?" Nori stirred a bit before she blinked her eyes open. Where was she?

  
"Nori-chan?" Nori turned to look at Hinata. The blue-haired girl looked concerned for the wellbeing of her friend. "Class is over," she finished softly.

  
Nori looked around the room and sure enough, people were leaving the classroom as they spoke. "Aaaa," she nodded before picking up her notebook and book and storing them in her backpack.

  
Hinata didn't say anything as she waved her friend farewell. She remained quiet as Kō came to pick her up and she was even more quiet during training that day. Something was going on with Nori and Sasuke. Logically, Hinata knew that it had something to do with what had happened to the Uchiha clan, which she heard from her father. Nori was helping Sasuke, that much was true – and Hinata was starting to feel bad because she wasn't doing anything.

  
Now, Hinata had never been the type to stand up for herself – but, standing up for her friends was a different matter.

  
"-so, if I could please visit Sasuke-san after t-training." Hinata had really tried not to stutter too much in front of her father, but congratulated herself silently for being able to say everything she meant. Hiashi was eyeing her – gauging her even. After a long period of silence after which Hinata was sure he was going to say no – he nodded.

  
"You may."

  
Hinata didn't smile as she bowed politely and thanked him. She still didn't smile as she passed some members of her clan on her way to her room – but, once the door was closed her face split into a large grin.

 

* * *

  
Sasuke slid open his balcony door before freezing and staring ahead. Nori looked up from her book her eyebrows pulling together before she stood up and walked over to the Uchiha boy. "What's wrong?"

  
Nori followed his line of vision her eyes falling on a bundle of messy black fur and one glowing yellow eye. "Akuma!" she cried happily. The cat swished his tail from side to side before running and jumping into Nori's outstretched arms. "How did you find me here? Did you follow me?" She asked the cat curiously.

  
The Uchiha stared.

  
"What. Is. That. Thing."

  
Nori gave the Uchiha an offended look, Akuma meanwhile, just hissed at him one of his paws reaching for him, claws outstretched. Nori pulled the cat back before he could cause any damage.

  
"This is Akuma. Remember I told you about him." She watched him, gauging his reaction. Sasuke nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the scary looking feline.

  
"His looks… interesting. It's not exactly how you described him," he said slowly. Nori had said Akuma was cute – clearly their definitions of the word cute differed greatly. Sasuke didn't even dare to ask what that was growing out of the cats ears. It looked horn like (logically he knew it was fur – but the damn thing just looked demonic).

  
Nori blinked her clear blue eyes. "Huh?" She looked at Akuma who had nestled himself in her arms. The cat meowed softly flicking the soft pads of his paw over Nori's nose. The redhead smiled. She looked back at Sasuke.

  
The raven-haired boy shook his head. "Never mind. Let's just go back inside."

  
Nori followed him, Akuma still in her arms.

 

* * *

  
The next day Hinata made her way towards Sasuke's apartment, in her arms a large bento box she had prepared herself (with a little help from one of her clan members). Next to her was Kō. He would walk her to Sasuke and pick her up when it was time to go. Hinata was smiling all the way to the apartment.

  
When she got there, a worried Sasuke opened the door and greeted her after Kō had excused himself. "Hinata-chan, have you seen Nori?"

  
Hinata grew worried. "I thought she was already here," said the Hyūga quietly.

  
"She was supposed to get here before five. She wanted to get some training today and visit senpai – whatever that means."

  
"Do you think something happened?" Hinata asked worriedly.

  
Sasuke looked out the window at the darkening sky. His fist clenched.

  
"Come on," he said grabbing Hinata's arm after she had sat down the bento box.

  
Sasuke dragged her through streets and alleyways trying to remember the fastest way to Nori's favourite training ground. Hinata followed the Uchiha silently hopping everything was going to be alright.

  
She has to be alright, thought the young Uchiha his face grim.

 

* * *

  
Earlier that day

 

* * *

  
"Nori-chan?"

  
Nori looked up at the pupil-less eyes of her Hyūga friend. "Yes, Hinata-chan?" Hinata beamed, it has only been recently that Nori allowed herself to drop the san and include the chan when addressing her best friend.

  
"I was going to visit Sasuke-kun this afternoon. I was wondering if it was alright to bring some f-food," she ended, a blush dusting her cheeks. Nori would never understand why Hinata would suddenly get so shy, but she just rolled with it most the time.

  
"Sure, that means I don't have to worry about dinner. Thanks, Hinata-chan!" Hinata smiled brightly.

  
"Alright, then I guess I will see you this afternoon."

  
Nori nodded with a small smile. "Hai!"

 

* * *

  
She knew Sasuke had some leftovers in the fridge for lunch. Besides, she had told him she wouldn't be there until five. She wanted to do it gradually – leaving him alone for certain periods of time – just so he himself knew he could do it. In a way, it was a test. She could do most of her exercises at Sasuke's new place – but he needed this, at least, that is what she kept repeating in her mind.

  
After she was done with her laps she went to look for Gai, but after half an hour of unsuccessful searching, she gave up writing it off as him probably being of on a mission. It was always fun when he got back from a mission and retold it in his loud and funny way.

  
She giggle to herself as she walked through the village, thinking back on a particular story Gai told her once about him and his eternal rival – she had yet to learn who that was. She really should have watched the show more thoroughly; she did never have a lot of patience. She ended up skipping through most the show – that's probably why she didn't remember so many details anymore.

  
"What's got you all happy?" asked a good-natured voice. Nori looked up into the eyes of Ayumi. The older woman was smiling softly at her. Nori blinked before returning the smile.

  
"Ayumi-san," she greeted politely.

  
"Nori-chan," the older girl teased, knowing how stuck Nori was on social etiquette. "Will you answer my question now?"

  
Nori shrugged. "Just thinking back on certain things. What are you up to, Ayumi-san?"

  
The older girl smiled. Nori didn't exactly know what to think of Ayumi. She had been constantly nice to her throughout the year that they had known each other now. A small part of Nori still thought that Ayumi will turn her back on her when-if she finds out the truth, but the bigger part of her was glad that Ayumi wasn't looking at her like the rest of the village.

  
"I was just done buying groceries; want to come over for some tea and dinner?" Nori blinked before looking to the side, she was blushing now under the extremely friendly smile Ayumi send her and the sincerity of her voice.

  
"Tea sounds nice, but I promised to meet my friends for dinner." Nori' eyes would briefly flash up to Ayumi before falling back to the dirt beneath her feet.

  
Ayumi nodded, "Then come on, you know where I live," she added teasingly. Nori nodded, but walked beside her.

  
"Ah, have you seen Gai-senpai by any chance?" Nori asked the woman even though she didn't think Ayumi had. She was a bit surprised when she saw the older girl nod.

  
"Hai! Gai-san was earlier at Ichiraku's. He said something about catching up to his eternal rival or something like that. He didn't stay for very long." She looked at Nori who merely nodded.

  
"Sounds like senpai," she agreed.

 

* * *

  
Back to Sasuke and Hinata – later that day

 

* * *

  
"Nori!"

  
"N-nori-chan!"

  
Hinata and Sasuke looked over the training ground calling out in hopes of finding their friend. After a while they split up to search the neighboring training grounds.

  
"Any luck?" asked Sasuke. Hinata shook her head.

  
"Maybe she went home?"

  
Sasuke frowned. "Do you know where she lives?"

  
Hinata frowned and shook her head. "A-ano, no. I do not."

  
They both paused. Nori had been their friend for a long while now and neither have ever seen where she lived even though Nori had visited both their homes. They knew she didn't have parents, but from what Sasuke had gathered Nori lived alone in an apartment provided to her by the village.

  
The both of them sat defeated in the middle of the training grounds.

  
"Aaa, youthful children, what are you doing?!"

  
The both jumped at the loud voice that seemly came out of nowhere. Then they both looked up and their eyes widened.

  
Sasuke's eyes caught sight of the eyebrows first. Are those things alive?

  
Hinata stepped slightly behind Sasuke. The Hitai-ate around the man's waist indicated that he was a Konoha shinobi - she relaxed slightly. She was the first to take advantage of that fact.

  
"A-ano, shinobi-san, have you by any chance seen a girl about m-my h-h-height with short s-spiky red hair?"

  
The man's eyes suddenly lit up like firework. "You know my youthful kohai Nori-chan?" he asked excitedly.

  
Sasuke recovered from his shock before processing the given information. Kohai… then he must be the senpai Nori keeps talking about.

  
"You must be Gai-san then, I assume?"

  
At the man's nod Sasuke relaxed. "Have you seen her?"

  
Gai shook his head. "It's been a few days since I have last seen my youthful kohai!"

  
Sasuke tried not to flinch at the unnecessarily loud volume of the man's voice. Need him to find Nori. Need him to find Nori, he kept chanting in his head to keep calm.  
"Could you help us find her?"

  
Gai gave them a thumb up. "Of course! Anything for the friends of my youthful kohai!"

 

* * *

  
The three arrived at Nori's apartment only to find the door locked. Sasuke grew more and more worried as time passed. "Do you know of any other place where she might be?" he asked the jonin. Gai thought for a bit before snapping his fingers.

  
"Perhaps she is at Ichiraku's!"

  
Sasuke had no idea what or where Ichiraku's is, but if they could find Nori there…

  
"Meow!" They all turned around to look at Akuma who was casually sitting in the middle of the hallway, eyeing them with his one eye. In Sasuke's head the feline looked awfully smug.

  
"Akuma," muttered the young Uchiha.

  
Hinata turned to look at him. "You know this cat Sasuke-kun?"

  
He nodded. "That's Akuma, Nori's cat remember?" Hinata's eyes lit up.

  
"Perhaps he knows where Nori-chan is?"

  
Sasuke's lips pulled down at the corners. "It's a cat how is it going to help?"

  
"Meow!" Akuma stood up and went down the hallway towards the stairway. Gai glanced at the children before they all shrugged and followed the cat having no better option.  
The cat lead them to the first floor of the building before stopping and scratching on one particular door. The trio watched as he scratched and meowed before the door was finally opened by a woman with glassy green eyes who looked down at Akuma and smiled before petting him. Sasuke found himself a little jealous – it was clear that the cat hated him, but it liked Nori which meant this woman must know Nori and he had no idea who she was.

  
"Ayumi-san! I had no idea you lived in the same building as my youthful kohai!"

  
She smiled at the jonin before her eyes landed on the two children with him. "Hello Gai-san! Ah, and you must be Nori-chan's friends, Sasuke-kun and Hinata-chan, right?"

  
Sasuke frowned. Why hasn't Nori told him about her? When he looked at Hinata he spotted the same confused expression he sported on his face.

  
"Umm, an-ano?" Hinata started saying. "Have you by any chance seen Nori-chan?"

  
Ayumi beamed at her. "Aw, you're just as cute as Nori-chan described. No! Cuter!" Hinata blushed bright red. The woman looked at him. "And you're quite handsome; Nori-chan didn't say anything about that, though…" She trailed of glancing at Gai. "Is something wrong?"

  
Gai shook his head. "No! Well- we were looking for Nori-chan. She had prior arragments with Sasuke-kun and Hinata-chan here, but failed to show up. That is most unusual for of my youthful kohai! She is very punctual!"

  
Sasuke noted that Gai seemed very proud when he spoke of Nori – the boy didn't know how he should feel about that exactly, but stored the thought in his mind for a later time.

  
"Ah, gomen! She did say something about dinner." Ayumi glanced behind her before inviting them inside, but made a motion for them to be quiet.

  
The followed and look there, on the couch fast asleep was Nori, Akuma curled up at her side. The cat must have slipped inside while they were talking. They all breathed out sighs of relief.

  
"She looked so tired, poor thing. She fell asleep while I was making tea and I didn't have the heart to wake her," she whispered to them.

  
They nodded. Soon afterwards Gai excused himself, surprisingly quiet and slipped out of the apartment making sure not to wake his kohai up. Hinata and Sasuke stayed with Nori till Hinata announced that she had to get back to Sasuke's place as that is where Kō was going to pick her up from. Sasuke, with the permission of Ayumi, of course, stayed by Nori's side. Watching as she slept.

  
"She talks about you a lot every time I see her. You and Hinata-chan," Ayumi said quietly.

  
Sasuke nodded. "She never mentioned you," he stated bluntly. Ayumi laughed softly.

  
"It's no surprise, we aren't that close, though…" she trailed of her eyes glancing at Nori. They were soft, like a mother looking at her child. "I would like to be there for her."  
"She has us," Sasuke said firmly, but quietly as not to wake Nori.

  
Ayumi smiled softly looking at her lap. "I see."

  
Sasuke suddenly felt guilty and he didn't even know why because he meant what he had said. "Maybe you should try harder?" he advised.

  
Ayumi smiled a bit wider. "I suppose. She is such a sweet girl, even if she is very quiet and a bit blunt at times."

  
Sasuke merely nodded no longer interested in having a conversation with the woman.

  
He was glad that she was alright. Maybe it's time I went back to the academy… Nori can go back to her usual routine then and she won't be so tired all the time…

  
"Hmmm? Sasuke?" he glanced at her as she blinked her eyes open staring at him sleepily.

  
"It's fine, you fell asleep at Ayumi-san's place."

  
She glanced around before nodding. She looked at Ayumi though sleepy eyelashes. "Gomen."

  
Ayumi waved her off. "Any time, Nori-chan."

  
She turned back to Sasuke. "Sorry I missed dinner."

  
Sasuke shrugged, he hasn't even eaten anything. "It's fine. We can eat when we get back to my apartment." He silently cursed himself in his head. He wanted Nori to sleep, not stand awake over him at night in fear of him having a nightmare.

  
Nori smiled softly. "Alright."

  
Sasuke returned it, albeit it was a microscopically small one.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! (obviously)

The Hokage sighed as he stared out the window of his office. Minato… he thought as his eyes landed on the stone face of the Forth Hokage. Whenever he saw the man's face, whether on a picture or on the mountain he could not help, but feel regretful. He had been too young and Sarutobi was too old, had been too old even back then. The only thing the Yondaime left behind was his jutsus and a child – Uzumaki Nori.

 

The Sandaime had mixed feelings about the small girl. Nori was an enigma of a child. She could be so intelligent one second and socially stunned the next. For the latter Hiruzen blamed himself. Nori was a peculiar child. In some ways, it was working in the village's favor, for now. After all, Nori did not seem to harbor any ill feelings towards the village that resented her for being the jailer of the demon that killed so many, the night she was born.

 

On the other hand, Nori was smart, Hiruzen would have called her a prodigy, had he not been trying to protect her - and keeping a low profile for the girl was the best. Thankfully, Nori did not seem like she wanted to be known as the smartest. Her scores were average at best; it was as if she made great effort to keep it that way. In a way, she often reminded him of the Nara, except, Nori was not lazy – she was calculative, which was a scary thing to see in such a young girl. If it had not been for her unexpected friendship with Gai and then later the Hyūga heiress and Uchiha Sasuke – Hiruzen would have been concerned. Concerned for she shared certain personality traits with none other than his former student, Orochimaru.

 

Additionally, Nori seemed to have taken a liking to a civilian woman name Ayumi. The Hokage had immediately ANBU monitor her every move. One can never be too sure in such situations. However, as it turned out Ayumi was just an ordinary civilian woman who came to Konoha looking for a better life.

 

However, lately it was becoming a problem to keep Nori under the radar of certain individuals, as her training schedule and the results of it did not go unnoticed. Nori was exceptionally talented for her age, easily besting the young Uchiha at taijutsu and keeping toe-to-toe with the Hyūga heiress' whose taijutsu was unique to the clan. Additionally, the girl seemed to soak knowledge in like a sponge, had limitless stamina thanks to the fox, the list went on really. However, what truly concerned the Hokage was Nori's maturity. She wasn't just smart – she was mature. She seemed to have a grasp of certain things that seem to be impossible for a child her age.

 

Gai expressed a wish to request Uzumaki Nori early for his team once she graduates, but Hiruzen had to decline as he was intending Nori to be on someone else's team entirely, much to the dismay of Gai.

 

"Iruka, I know this must be hard for you, but please try to see past your hate. Nori, she…"

 

Iruka who was bowing in front of the Hokage nodded, albeit his face was serious. "Hai, Hokage-sama, I think I understand."

 

The Hokage smiled. I truly wish you did Iruka. I truly wish you did…

 

* * *

  
"I do not think he likes me very much," muttered Nori concerning her new teacher. Sasuke frowned and looked the man over. When he had entered the classroom, Iruka had greeted them all with a friendly smile and introduced himself.

 

Sasuke watched Iruka for the rest of the class, observing his behavior towards the students, especially towards Nori. It was true, he did treat her differently. It was as if he was almost ignoring her presence. When his eyes looked over the classroom to see if everybody was paying attention, he seemed to flinch whenever his eyes landed on the redhead. Sasuke was growing suspicious of this.

 

It wasn't just Iruka; it seemed everybody had a problem with Nori. Her mere presence seemed to put people off. They glared, and whispered and just generally seemed ill minded towards his best friend. Yes, Uzumaki Nori was his best friend. He liked Hinata, but Nori was… well, Nori. It couldn't be explained any other way.

 

Therefore, naturally it bothered Sasuke to no end that she was treated that way. But, why? It was something that the Uchiha boy could not explain. Nori was… well, sure she was awkward and silent – didn't really fit in, that ridiculously bright hair colour made her stand out (though, not that Sasuke would ever admit it, he likes Nori's hair colour – it reminded him of tomatoes).

 

He needed to know.

 

Giggles.

 

"Huh?" he turned to see his red-haired friend quietly laughing. She turned to him with a small smile on her face.

 

"You looked so funny just now. Yen for your thoughts?" she asked cheekily holding up a coin. Sasuke blinked, once, twice, trice.

 

"Did you just make a joke?"

 

Nori blinked, obviously confused. Now it was Hinata's turn to giggle.

 

* * *

  
Iruka was a bit baffled as he observed the smiling trio in the back of the class. "As I was saying!" he said a bit louder to regain their attention. It worked though the Hyūga girl still looked mildly amused as Sasuke was eyeing Nori incredulously and Nori just looked plain confused.

 

* * *

  
"I do not think Sasuke likes jokes," she said as Ayumi sat the tea in front of her. The older teenage giggled quietly, she had been the one to tell her about joke lightening the mood in tense situations, and well sometimes, they did, other times they just made everything worse.

 

"Is that so?"

 

Nori nodded taking a sip of the tea. Akuma didn't seem interested in anything till Ayumi sat some tuna on a plate in front of the cat. He meowed, pleased with the development of the situation. The continuous feeding he received from the older female human was the only reason he let her pet him. Otherwise, it was just Nori who was in the cat's good graces. Everybody else – stay three feet away.

 

Ayumi frowned when Nori just sat at the table watching her tea impassively. "Nori-chan?"

 

The young girl blinked a few times snapping out of her trance. "Huh?"

 

Ayumi tried to smile. "Everything alright Nori-chan?"

 

"Aaaa."

 

It didn't sound convincing to Ayumi.

 

"Are you sure?"

 

The red head hesitated before sighing. "We received a new teacher at the academy."

 

Ayumi waited patiently for Nori to continue, when she didn't the older girl asked quietly. "Is everything alright? Is that teacher not treating you fairly?" The older girl found herself getting worked up. It wasn't fair, Nori wasn't hurting anybody. Yet, everybody remained hostile towards her. Ayumi still didn't know why, but there was a reason.

 

She remembered it when the Hokage had come to Ichiraku's. It had scared Ayumi nearly to death.

 

"I assume you must be Ayumi-san?"

 

Ayumi found herself nodding numbly, not sure what to expect. She may be oblivious about most things, but from her association with Nori she knew that the Hokage was a very important man in the village. One who held a lot of power.

 

One awkward order of ramen later and the Hokage was clearing his throat, deciding to cut to the chase.

 

"Ayumi-san, it has been brought to my intention that you have a close relationship with Uzumaki Nori-chan."

 

Ayumi nodded, she didn't know what to say. After she saw the Hokage smile, she found some courage within her. "Nori-chan is a very sweet girl."

 

The Hokage nodded. "That she is." He eyed Ayumi, gauging her. "Ayumi-san, as you are probably aware, Nori-san isn't much liked among the population of Konoha. You are new to the village, so I assume the reason escapes you." At Ayumi's nod he continued. "Unfortunately I cannot say it either, it is Nori's secret to share as she sees fit, though as of this moment not even she is aware of it," the Hokage paused as Ayumi's brows rose. She didn't know why people disliked her?

 

"Hokage-sama?"

 

The aged man before her looked deep within her eyes as if searching for something and Ayumi felt completely bare as if he could see her every secret.

 

"Ayumi-san, I hope you will continue to be like you are with Nori-chan. Kami knows she needs more friends."

 

Ayumi nodded, though she felt like the conversation was far from over. Additionally, it left her even more confused on the issue of Nori's popularity.

 

"It's not that," mumbled Nori regaining Ayumi's attention. Nori just looked frustrated with her eyebrow drawn together, as if to try to figure out the situation. "I just…" It sounded like she wanted to say more, but stopped herself.

 

Ayumi put a hand to her shoulder. Nori looked up at her, their eyes meeting. Nori gave her a small smile. "It's fine, I'm used to it," she whispered.

 

Ayumi's grip tightened on her shoulder. You shouldn't have to be.

 

* * *

  
The next day Nori was doing her usual training after classes had let out when she encountered none other than Gai.

 

"Senpai," she greeted casually. Gai gave her a blinding smile, his teeth shinning in the light. I really have to ask him what he does to them, thought the red head as she observed the man.

 

"My youthful kohai! How are you this lovely afternoon?"

 

Nori gave him a close-eyed smile, her head titling to the side.

 

"I'm alright. What are you up to senpai?"

 

Gai beamed at her before pulling something out of his kunai pouch. "I got something to improve your youthful training!"

 

Nori blinked as he dangled the object on front of her eyes. "Those are special weights. I want you to wear them at all times. When you get used to the weight come to me and I will make them heavier," he said and then proceeded to explain how they are based on a seal array and actually used a person's chakra to weight said person down.

 

"That's really useful. Thank you senpai!"

 

Gai beamed.

 

"Nori-chan! Your flames of youth are shining brightly today!"

 

After Gai gave her a new training schedule (which Nori was going to tune down – no way were 10 laps around the village a good warm up), they got to talking about everyday life.

 

"You seem very close to your friends, Nori-chan!" A thumb up followed the sentence at which Nori just smiled.

 

"Yeah, too bad we are probably not going to stay a team after graduation. What with my bad chakra control, maybe I won't even graduate," she grumbled disheartened.

 

Gai stood up, suddenly full of energy. "Never fear Nori-chan, there is a way for you three to stay a team, but, are you three willing to work for it? It's not going to be easy."

 

Nori didn't even think twice before nodding. Gai grinned. "Then Nori-chan, bring your team here tomorrow and we can discuss the details!"

 

* * *

  
  
"A way to stay in a team together?" Nori nodded at Hinata who smiled brightly.

 

"That would be great, b-but how?"

 

Nori shrugged. "I do not know yet. I mean I cannot even perform the bunshin and my chakra control is downright terrible." Sasuke snorted at that. Nori gave him a half-hearted glare.

 

"What?" asked the Uchiha, a small smirk on his lips. "You are the only person alive to make the leaf blast of you instead of sticking it to your skin."

 

Nori looked down defeated while Hinata tried desperately to cheer her up.

 

"Oi!" Sasuke yelped when Hinata hit him on the shoulder. He rubbed his arm up and down. Hinata stuttered, stunned that she actually did it before working up courage again.

 

"D-don't b-be m-mean to N-nori-ch-chan! She has it really hard w-with chakra con-control!"

 

Sasuke continued to rub his shoulder even though it didn't hurt. Hinata was finally growing a spine. It was about time.

 

"It's fine Hinata-chan, Sasuke was only teasing."

 

Hinata nodded, but didn't fail to shot Sasuke a small glare. Sasuke felt like a kitten was staring him down, he tried not to laugh.

 

* * *

  
"Now, usually potential genin do not get to pick their future team mates," Gai started explaining as they were finally seated in the middle of training ground four. "However, under special circumstances, such requests can be taken into account if you can name valid reason for such and if you get a jonin to testify for your team work."

 

Nori nodded. "That jonin would be you, senpai?" Gai gave his kohai a simple nod.

 

"That is true, now I have run this request over with the Hokage," eyebrows shot up and confusion entered the young potential genins' faces, but they kept quiet and waited for more information. "He has agreed that you could become a potential team, but the requirement is that you must graduate at least a year before your peers and you all must graduate at the same time. If you cannot do that you will be split up and put into traditional squads."

 

Nori's shoulders slumped. Without performing a bunshin she could never graduate, not even with her perfect taijutsu results.

 

Nori tensed when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but relaxed when she saw Hinata's pupil-less eyes staring into her own. The Hyūga gave her an encouraging smile at which Nori nodded.

 

* * *

  
As they were walking home, Sasuke noticed that Nori seemed terribly worried about not being able to perform the required jutsus in time. He sighed.

 

Nori smiled when she felt Sasuke ruffle her hair when they came to a halt at Sasuke's apartment. "Don't beat yourself up over it. Without you it's not worth graduating early. Anyway, even if we get separated it doesn't mean we can't stay friends," the Uchiha trailed of as he watched for any visible reaction from Nori.

 

The red head gave him a small smile before nodding. "Aaa."

 

Sasuke smiled as he watched her head home to feed Akuma. He knew she was going to swing by later just to check on him and see if he has eaten. Sasuke would never admit he was actually looking forward to that.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!  
> No beta! My mistakes are mine.

* * *

  
Nori and co. Age 10

* * *

  
It was in the Hokage's best interest if Nori and Sasuke were to be in a genin team together and their friendship with the Hyūga while on surface seems unimportant, plays a key part in that plan.

  
“Risky moves you're going for, Hokage-sama,” stated Danzo.

  
The Hokage sitting opposite of the old War Hawk said nothing; he merely lifted the cup of tea sitting in front of him, to his lips. Hiruzen, of course, knew what he was referring to. The trio consisting of the last Uchiha and last Uzumaki in Konoha, and Hyūga heiress was moving up in the academy at a fast pace. It won’t be surprising when they manage to graduate in the following 6 months.

  
The Sandaime also knew that Danzo wouldn’t dare try anything involving Nori with both Sasuke and Hinata around. The old hawk had developed an unhealthy obsession with the jinchuriki girl ever since she showed great promise during her first academy year. Of course Danzo only saw a weapon of mass-destruction

 

* * *

  
“That – that man is a monster,” breathed Sasuke as he collapsed after yet another day of special training with Nori’s precious Gai-senpai.

  
Nori nodded while putting her finger to her chin. “Gai-senpai is very strong indeed.”

  
Sasuke stared blankly at her. “That was not the point I was trying to make.”

  
Hinata would have laughed at the exchange had she not been so winded for the excessive training they had been put through just minutes ago.

  
“Only six more months,” gasped the Uchiha as he pulled himself into a sitting position leaning against the tree Nori was currently sitting against. He glanced at the red-head who was currently deeply focused on her newest project – Fuuinjutsu. He couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of her stamina. Tiredly he moved his hand to ruffle her short red tresses. She looked at him with clear blue eyes. He smirked slightly.

  
“How is it going with your newest pet-project?” he asked mentioning to the book now sitting in her lap with a small nod of his head. Nori followed his gesture before frowning.

  
“In theory it’s quite simple, however...” she trailed of as her face scrunched up with annoyance. Sasuke knew that face only too well; she was frustrated with things she didn’t understand.

  
“No drawing explosive tags on your own. You know w-what Gai-sensei said,” reminded the Hyūga after finally catching enough air.

  
Nori blinked a few times before she smiled. “Aa.”

  
Hinata smiled before joining her friends, sitting down on the opposite side of Nori.

 

* * *

  
“Ino-san, is everything alright?” inquired Nori as she gazed upon Ino, sitting alone in front of what Nori knew to be the Yamanaka’s flower shop.

  
“Nori-chan!” exclaimed the 10-year-old as she soon as she spotted the social awkward girl. Nori titled her head to the side, a clear sign of her thinking process. Ino grinned.

  
“I’m bored, Sakura ditched me.” Ino expressed her utter dislike of being left out by the pout she adopted. Nori raised a brow, but otherwise remained impassive.

  
“What are you up to?! Are you going to see Sasuke-kun?” the blonde asked eagerly. Nori restrained a sigh. While it was true that the two girls, Ino and Sakura, hadn’t terminated their friendship over Sasuke, that did not stop either of them from chasing after him, just in a much more subdued manner than it had been present in the manga Nori read (once upon a time).

  
“No, I was just returning from training-“

  
“Great!” she interrupted Nori mid-sentence. “Then you’re free.”

  
No, Nori really wasn’t. Didn’t the Yamanaka already know she had a schedule to keep to? She could just tell Ino wanted to annoy her and would stop at nothing to get her way. And Nori, being as she was, had no desire to argue with the intrusive blonde.

  
“So, what have you been up to lately?” asked the hipper blonde.

  
Nori looked up from the book she was reading as a way to show Ino just how much she didn’t want to talk to her.

  
“Training.”

  
Ino pouted. “You always train,” she moaned. “When was the last time you did something fun?”

  
Nori shrugged. “I don’t really divided things like that, into fun and non-fun, that is. But I suppose training must count as fun.”

  
“Training doesn’t count!” exclaimed the blonde.

  
“Is staying alive and avoiding being killed fun?”

  
Ino looked confused. “I s-suppose?”

  
Nori nodded. “Then training should be considered very fun,” deduced the red-head.

  
Ino just shook her head.

  
“You’re so weird.” Ino grinned.

  
Nori smiled faintly.

  
They walked a bit further before Ino slyly asked, “So, I heard Sasuke-kun and Kiba got into a fight.”

  
Nori made a noncommittal sound. “How is that news? They get into some type of fight every week.”

  
It was true enough, Kiba seemed to dislike the young Uchiha for one reason or the other, and Sasuke wasn’t exactly hard to rile up if you knew how to push his buttons and Kiba seemed to be doing a pretty good job. She guessed it was because Sasuke was lacking a Naruto (for lack of a better term) and Kiba was the replacement to went his stress on.

  
“Any progress on the clone juts-“ Ino smiled nervously as she noticed the dark cloud looming over Nori’s head. Maybe that was the wrong question. “Don’t be down! Mizuki-sensei said you were getting better at it!” she tried to show Nori the optimistic side of her dilemma, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

  
“I don’t like Mizuki,” Nori muttered, now staring at the ground. Ino frowned. The lack of suffix for the teacher was a dead giveaway on her stated dislike.

  
“Why not?! He is nice, isn’t he?” she asked confused about Nori’s attitude towards the Chunin.

  
“No, not really at least. His niceness it what makes him suspicious, Ino-san. Anyway,” she interjected before Ino could question further, “how have you been doing?” It was easy enough to distract Ino when the topic was the blonde herself.

  
“Well,” and so the rant began. Nori didn’t mind as long as the blonde didn’t pry too much into Nori’s life.

  
“Hey!” Nori looked up, startled by the sudden change of volume in the blonde’s voice.

  
Ino grinned sheepishly when she saw Nori’s blank look.

  
“I know what we can do!”

  
Nori remained silent. She followed Ino’s hand that was pointing to a clothing store. Nori grimaced. She didn’t like shopping to begin with, let alone with all the tension she brought into stores with her status as the jinchuriki.

  
“I don’t-“ she didn’t get to finish as Ino was already dragging her towards the story. When did the blonde get so bold around Nori again?

  
“You always dress like a boy; people are already starting to think you’re one. I thought maybe we can find you a cute dress.”

  
“There is no point in getting me a dress. I have absolutely no need of one.”

  
Ino pouted. Nori sighed; she felt a headache coming on.

  
“The clothes I’m wearing are light enough not to sweat too much during training, but thick enough to keep me warm. Furthermore, I don’t care if people think I’m a boy or a girl. The less they know about me the better.”

  
She knew Ino was confused, but she was too tired to care at that point.

 

* * *

  
Ayumi was walking down the road mentally checking her grocery list, making sure she had gotten everything. She knew Nori would be coming over for dinner; it had become a weekly thing. Ayumi could not deny it, the company of the little redhead was strangely comforting in this strange village, filled with social rules and secrets she was not let in on.

  
Ayumi was so engrossed in her thoughts she nearly missed the silver haired male that passed in front of her. His masked face was buried in a book and he did not seem to be paying attention to where it was he was headed.

  
“That hair…” she mumbled her eyes watching as he disappeared out of sight. Could he be- She shook her head. Nope, she was done with that.

  
A blur of green swished passed her face only moments later. She found herself grinning. Gai-san, she thought with a giggle. He would never change.

  
“Tuna! That’s what I forgot,” she mumbled thinking of the yellow-eyed cat that was somewhat like Nori’s personal little fury shadow.  
  


* * *

  
“Alright class, dismissed.” Iruka sighed as he heard several children shout out of joy. They should be taking this more seriously!

  
He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he almost didn’t notice Uzumaki Nori pass by his desk and out the front door, followed closely by the two dojutsu users.  
He frowned. Uzumaki Nori… he did not know what to make of her. She was so quiet that if it were not for her vibrant hair colour and background he would hardly even notice she was in his class in the first place. To top it off the girl had above average intelligence. He would not go as far as to call her a genius like a certain clan was filled with, but… she was not far off either.

 

* * *

  
It was on that day that Iruka found himself walking along the busy streets of Konoha deeply entertained by his own thoughts.  
“Nori-chan!” Iruka was snapped out of his thoughts as the loud voice pierced through the air. He turned his head to see a shinobi clan in green spandex lifting up the red-haired jinchuriki onto his shoulders. Maito Gai?

 

* * *

  
Nori giggle slight as Gai lifted her up. She really shouldn’t be surprised as the years went on Gai got bolder and bolder in showing his affections for his little kohai (nothing perverted of course). To Gai it was almost like have a daughter, or at least a nice. To Nori it was like having the best and goofiest uncle ever. She really loved Gai. Took her a few year, but she could finally say it (to herself, in private, never out loud, because Nori wasn’t like that).  
“Youthful kohai, and just where were you off to?”  
Nori grinned. “Ayumi-san and I have dinner together every Friday. You know that already senpai.” Gai could be so silly.

 

* * *

  
Iruka watched the exchange, a weird feeling swimming at the bottom of his stomach. He didn't know what he should be feeling right now.

 

* * *

  
The next day

 

* * *

  
Iruka was seated at his favourite ramen stand, eating a bowl of miso ramen, his thoughts a thousand miles away from the present. He had tried so hard- so hard to ignore Uzumaki Nori, but he just couldn’t. She harboured the reason his parents were dead. Every time he looked at her he remembered how lonely it had been for him growing up. Yet, the girl also had nobody – and yet... His thoughts flashed to her smiling face as she was sitting on the shoulders of Maito Gai. She was alone, but she wasn’t lonely.

Despite all that, there was a shadow of sadness in her eyes and he could see it if only because he knew from experience what it felt like to have people around you, but no real family. Though, he did not think that was why she was sad.

  
He did not know how to feel about any of that.


	11. Chapter 11

Nori's head snapped to the window as Akuma casually jumped inside, what, however drew Nori's attention to this was the other cat following her loyal little shadow inside. The redhead slowly got up to greet Akuma, who happily purred when she rubbed him behind the ears. His little companion however, seemed reluctant to even approach Nori, opting to hide in a corner. Nori looked the small brown cat over taking note of the distinctive red bow fastened on one of its ears. Someone's pet?

 

"Akuma, did you steal, uh," she paused she looked over the newcomer closely, "her away, huh, you little Casanova?" The cat just titled his head at her meowing softly.Nori smiled softly before getting up. "Alright, food it is," she grinned when Akuma released a pleased meow. Sometimes she swore he understood exactly what she said.

 

When she sat the tuna down in front of the two cats Akuma's friend seemed to find her courage and came to join the feast, but not without shooting Nori suspicious looks.

 

Nori didn't know why, but she had a feeling she was supposed to know who this cat was. She shrugged after a while. Well, it couldn't be too important, right?

 

* * *

Shikamaru Nara could be called anything but interested in the rest of the world. But lately there was one thing that picked up his interest - the Uzumaki-Uchiha-Hyuuga trio, but mostly the Uzumaki herself. At first the boy had written her of as another average student, nothing to be concerned about, however, lately... Uzumaki Nori was proving to be a lot more then she had originally let on and that bothered Shikamaru, because he hated to be wrong. It was due to this newfound interest that the lazy Nara boy choose to stalk over to the trio as they were having their break.

 

Nori was happily eating and listening to Hinata and Sasuke discuss, or rather complain about Gai's training methods. Nori was a little sneaky about that. On the outside she pretended she saw no wrong with the way Gai drilled them every day, but on the inside she too thought at times that he was overdoing it. She remembered the first time she trained alongside Gai, way before she became friends with both Hinata and Sasuke – Gai was a slave-driver, but he was also her friend and senpai – so she kept her mouth shut. Besides, it was only for a little while longer, as she heard from Gai (because that man cannot keep his mouth shut about certain things) he was not to be their sensei. Nori was sad about that, but she had expected it. Kakashi it was then. She would be sure to make his life hell in case he chooses to slack off. He would not endanger her friends because of misguided feelings of grief. Over. Her. Dead. Body.

 

"Huh?" Nori looked up as a shadow fell over her. The Nara. Shikamaru, I believe his name is, she thought. Her face didn't display anything apart from slight surprise. On the inside she was curious – Shikamaru and herself, along with her two friends, have never exchanged more than the occasional greeting and even that was pushing it. What reason did he have to approach them?

 

"Play shogi with me?" came the lazily drawn out question. Nori blinked away her shock; Sasuke was a lot more vocal with his.

 

"What do you want?" he growled out.

 

Shikamaru's expression didn't change, but Nori saw the small flicker of annoyance pass through his dark eyes. She cut in before this could escalate into a fight.

 

"I don't play shogi," she replied seriously. Shikamaru raised a brow, but remained in his spot.

 

"You don't, or you don't know how?"

 

Nori restrained a smirk. "Both, I suppose."

 

Shikamaru's mouth twitched. "I'll teach you," he offered without missing a beat. Instead of answering Nori pulled out a little black book and began flipping through the pages.

 

"Well, I got this and next week booked, I have Friday afternoon in two weeks free? I'm assuming it's going to take place at your house?" she offered. Shikamaru needed a moment to process this, having already picked up on Nori's need to schedule everything.

 

"Fine with me," he said and walked away as Nori wrote the meeting into her book. Sasuke glared at him until he was out of sight.

 

Hinata giggled. "What do you think that was about?"

 

Nori shrugged returning to her meal.

 

"Well, whatever it was I don't like it," Sasuke growled out before turning his attention fully to Nori. "Why did you agree?"

 

Nori looked up at him. "Curiosity."

 

Hinata giggled at Sasuke's jealous expression.

 

Nori raised a brow. "You're easily amused, Hinata-chan." Hinata must have found this quite amusing, because her giggle turned into a laugh. Now Nori was just plain confused.

 

* * *

 

Iruka was walking aimlessly through the village. On him mind was only one thing, or rather one person – Uzumaki Nori. The pariah of the village. The demon everybody hated. The little girl whose teacher he was. The best friend of a clan heir and the last loyal Uchiha. She was simply a mystery.

 

Seating himself in his favourite restaurant Iruka order himself ramen, still wearing a troubled expression.

 

"Here you go!" said the waitress while smiling.

 

"Thank you," he replied absentmindedly. She gave him a sympathetic smile.

 

"Not that it's my business, but everything alright?"

 

Iruka shook his head. "I wouldn't want to trouble you," he told the clearly civilian woman. She looked around the other unoccupied chair before shrugging.

 

"There is really nothing else to do. My name is Ayumi!" she introduced herself with a smile on her face.

 

Iruka found himself smiling back. "My name is Iruka."

 

"Now, then, what's on your mind Iruka-san?"

 

* * *

 

Sasuke really wanted to stay mad at the Nori-Shikamaru situation, but he was more concerned about Nori's graduation. Theoretically Nori didn't need the clone jutsu with her results to graduate, but since they were graduating early she needed great results to pass, flawless results.

 

"You're not listening, nothing is working- she won't make it in time," huffed the Uchiha as Gai went on another rant about youth and what not.

 

Gai blinked seeing that the boy was really wound up about it. "I see, that is truly troubling! My youthful kohai usually excels at everything she does!"

 

For once Sasuke had to agree with Gai. Hinata cut in before Gai could go of on another rampage about his kohai and youth.

 

"Isn't there a way for her to learn something else? I-I H-heard for my fa-father that there are other clone jutsus."

 

Gai nodded a thoughtful expression on his face. "Nori-chan is struggling with chakra control. Hmmm, I will need to think about this." By think Gai meant he had to run the idea by the Hokage, if he was right Nori's problem was rather obvious. He should have thought about it sooner really.

 

Sasuke sighed. "Thanks," he mumbled before stalking of followed by Hinata who threw Gai a quickly smile before leaving.

 

* * *

 

"Nori-chan, can you stay please?"

 

Nori looked like a deer coughed in headlight as she stared at Iruka. Sasuke was right behind her giving Iruka a suspitious look, even sweet Hinata didn't seem to trust Iruka with Nori. Nori finally found her courage and nodded at her friends that it was ok to leave without her.

 

"We will wait outside," Sasuke assured her. A curt nod followed his sentence.

 

Tensed Nori made her way to her teacher.

 

Iruka gave her a small smile, obviously nervous. Finally he bowed.

 

"Please, forgive me."

 

"Huh?"

* * *

 

 

"So, Nori-chan, anything interesting happen today?" questioned Ayumi as she sat opposite of her.

 

Nori paused, the tea cup millimetres away from her lips. "Actually, the strangest thing happened." And so Nori told her about Iruka and his impromptu apology.

 

"So, you believe him? That he is sorry for ignoring you?" Ayumi found herself curious. She was after all the one to talk (actually yell) some sense into Iruka – though she still failed to see what it was about Nori that unsettled people so much. Stupid shinobi villages.

 

Nori shrugged her small shoulders. "I don't even know why he is apologising, but," she paused again before lifting her head and smiling slightly. "It felt nice to be acknowledged."

 

* * *

 

2 week later

* * *

 

Nori walked through the village, her nose stuck in a book, successfully managing to avoid every obstacle that came in her way without looking up. She was very proud of that accomplishment. She was nowhere near fighting even genin with a book stuck to her face, but hey, one can dream, right?

 

Early graduation was only a month away.

 

She stopped as she reached her destination - the Nara compound.

 

The Naras were laid back and Nori liked them. They were the kind of smart that didn't make you wanna kill them for being know-it-alls. However, some people might argue that it made you wanna kill them when they were too lazy to use those smarts to help.

 

Shikamaru's mother was rather... overwhelming – but, Nori could see the woman meant well. She kind of gushed over them as Shikamaru lead her to the back terrace where he had laid out the game.

 

"Sorry about that," he said meaning towards the door where his mother had disappeared from.

 

Nori smiled slightly. "She seems... nice."

 

Shikamaru snorted. "Let's start."

 

* * *

 

"He looks like he might actually pop a blood vessel."

 

Hinata couldn't restrain her laugh, Sasuke really did look quite mad. Nori had gone to Shikamaru's place despite vehement pleads (more like orders) from Sasuke not to do it. Ino had to admit that while she still harboured a crush on Sasuke, it was fun to watch him get so worked up about Nori meeting other people. It was adorable. If only Sakura would also agree. The pink haired girl had yet to really warm up to the socially awkward girl.

 

"I don't see what's so great about her," Sakura silently fumed as she watched her crush beat the daylight out of a training post.

 

Hinata didn't comment, but she did give Sakura a small sideway glare. Ino who saw that the situation might actually escalate if she didn't interfere quickly pulled Sakura away saying she was hungry and that they should get some food and then come back to watch Sasuke. She didn't listen to Sakura's protests as she dragged her off.

 

Hinata sighed as she watched them leave. She liked Ino well enough, but Sakura...

 

"Oi, do you think she is already done?" Hinata didn't have to even think about whom Sasuke meant.

 

"It's only been half an hour since she left," she said with a small apologetic smile. The raven haired boy huffed.

 

"I know. I just don't like it. Nori is our friend, you know?"

 

Hinata nodded. "Nori-chan wouldn't abound us. Besides, this might actually be good for her!"

 

Sasuke raised a brow. "How? Shikamaru is almost as asocial as Nori."

 

Hinata shook her head. "We can only wait and see."

 

Sasuke wasn't appeased in the slightest, but nodded anyway.

 

* * *

 

"You're good," Nori knew he meant to cheer her up in his own lazy way, but she had no allusion about being a genius at shogi. She was perhaps average at best and against somebody like Shikamaru that doesn't mean much.

 

This was getting nowhere and Nori was growing bored. Too bored. Bored enough to actually consider messing with faith. Well, only a little.

 

"Say, Shikamaru-san, if we were to compare the board to the village and the pieces to the villagers, who would be the king?"

 

Shikamaru looked up from the board a thoughtful expression on his face. "The Hokage, I suppose."

 

Nori frowned. "Then," she paused. "Then it would be a really cruel game, don't you think?"

 

Shikamaru looked surprised but didn't interrupt her as she carried on. "Then it means that some people's lives are worth more than others."

 

The boy across from her frowned, deep in thought. "Who do you suppose is the king then?"

 

Nori smiled, her eyes closing and her head titling to the side. "Something or rather someone worth dying for, of course."

 

Shikamaru didn't have an answer to that.

 

* * *

1 month later

* * *

"Uzumaki Nori," called out Iruka and even gave her an encouraging smile as she made her way to the examination room.

 

Here goes nothing, she thought before entering the room.


	12. Chapter 12

Flashback - Sasuke

Sasuke didn't need any friends. At least, that's what the five-year-old kept telling himself. And the kids at the academy were stupid anyway. No, he didn’t need anybody (except his Nii-san). The boy would nod at that thought and be utterly pleased with his current situation. And so he kept to himself and trained every day in hopes of catching up to his brother and making his father finally take notice of his skills. That kind of attitude kept Sasuke going pretty much every day when his Nii-san would poke him on the forehead and excuse himself and promise a ‘next time, Sasuke’ with a smile. 

“Stupid, Nii-san,” Sasuke huffed out, a pout adoring his lips. He kept marching without any destination in mind. 

The sound of two people sparring caught his attention and as he looked up Sasuke noticed his feet had brought him to the training grounds near the academy. His eyes finally found the source of the noise and he recognized the two people with ease as being his two fellow academy students. The red-head he knew to be Uzumaki Nori, a girl he initially noticed because of her hair, but was otherwise really quiet. The other one was also on the quiet side; he knew very well she was the Hyuuga heiress Hinata. He had initially thought neither girl had any friends when he bothers to look around the classroom to note other people. 

The look like they are having fun, he thought, but quickly shook his head to rid himself of it. He didn’t need fun – he needed to get better and fast!

Still… his mind trailed of as he noticed their smiling faces.

…

Interlude – The Copy Cat

With his face stuck in a book and his mind a million miles away, Hatake Kakashi was walking down the street seemly without a care in the world. Laidback as he may seem, the famed Copy Cat was anything, but carefree. Every day he woke up reminded that he was the only one left. The Kyuubi’s roar ringing in his ears, the warm fresh blood of Rin on his hands and Obito’s dying words in his ears. He had been too weak, too proud, too-

“If it isn’t my eternal rival, Kakashi!”

The man in question slowly raised his face from his book making sure the lone eye that was visible portrayed all the boredom in the world as he look at one of his long-term associations. 

“Ah, Gai.”

The self-proclaimed Konoha’s Sublime Green Beast of Prey was quick to retort. “Ah, Kakashi, you with your hip and cool attitude!” he cried miserably.

Kakashi pretended to look uninterested, but lately Gai’s visits have proved to be really informative. Besides, if there was anybody in this village to not have given up on him, it had to be Gai. 

So maybe Kakashi did tune out the loud man as they – scratch that – as he was walking and Gai was following him down the street. People were beginning to stare, but that’s always to be expected when you were in Gai’s company. He may as well have been sleeping through Gai’s speech about youth and what not, had the man not mentioned a name he would rather not have heard for another few years. 

“Kakashi, you have got to come and meet Nori-chan. She is truly a youthful inspiration!”

Of course Kakashi knew which Nori he meant. Gai knew that very well. He never told Kakashi too much about the girl. He just kept trying to bring him along to meet her, Kakashi always managing to dodge the subject, mostly before it was even mentioned, but Gai has been getting more persistent lately, which in return caused Kakashi to avoid him – this resulted in the overbearing man tuning things down (but it didn’t stop him from bringing it up from time to time).

Uzumaki Nori. He had tried to go and see her once. How could he not? She must have been five at the time, just before she had entered the academy. Kakashi had tracked her down to an empty training ground; she had been doing warm-ups, nothing heavy. 

It had been too much. The hair – he could take. The eyes - he could tolerate, even if it did bring an ache to his chest because they looked just like his. But, then he had seen her smile at something, probably a squirrel (it wasn’t even important). He had bolted immediately. Her smile – it had been too much like Minato-sensei’s. Almost an exact copy. The way he used to smile at Kakashi when he had been a child. It had brought up too many memories – reopened to many unhealed wounds. And so, he had stayed away - stayed away in hopes that the memories would go away, that the ghosts of the past would stop hunting him. But, they never did. 

“She and her friends,” Kakashi heard as his mind returned to the present,” are going to be attempting to graduate this year. Isn’t that exciting?! Such a display of youth! Unfortunately, Hokage-sama has refused to let Nori-chan be a part of my team-“

Kakashi’s mind came to a halt. Early graduation? Alright, not as early as his, but still. Sensei’s daughter is graduating? 

His eyes found the momentum where his sensei’s face was carved. The only thing he could hear was his own heart hammering in his chest. He felt as if somebody had poured a bucket of ice-water over him and then set him on fire. 

Sensei’s daughter is graduating, kept repeating in his mind like a broken record.

…

Interlude – The Toad Sage

As goofy and stupid as Jiraiya may seem to the average person, he was anything but. Still, the act was useful, Jiraiya couldn’t deny that and as a bonus it was always fun to see people’s faces when they figured out how strong he really was.   
Many would immediately connect his name with either his skills or his famed book series – Icha Icha. Such a hit among the perverts of the world. But, Jiraiya didn’t mind. Brought in the money, you see. And he enjoyed every aspect of the book writing – especially the research. But, rare people would think about that one failed book he had written what seemed like a century ago – about a dream – about a goal. Minato had been the only one to appreciate it. That foolish, idealistic, optimistic boy – no – man, that had given up everything for that dream. 

He often wondered what she was like. The little girl that was the only thing left of the Forth Hokage. Uzumaki Nori. Jiraiya had only briefly seen her once when she had been a baby. The first thing that struck him was the hair, vibrant red like her mother’s, but just as unruly as her father’s. The eyes had been Minato’s - that was for sure. He often wondered who she had taken after personality vise. Would she been as calm and smart as Minato or as loud and strong-willed as her mother? Maybe a combination of the two? Or maybe she would have her own unique one?

A feminine giggle cut through his musings. Ah, time to do his research. He really, really loved his job.

…

Interlude - The Darkness of the Shinobi

Shimura Danzo could be considered many things – most saw him as the elder, a person of respect and authority. Rare saw him for what he truly was, the founder and leader of Root, a true reminder of what lurks beneath the system of shinobi – pure darkness. 

Danzo strived towards only one goal. Protecting Konoha. As honorable as that goal may seem, over the year Danzo has managed to twist it with his dark ideas of protection, convincing himself that every unmoral move he made to archive his goal was justified and that the only way to ultimately archive it was to become Hokage himself. But, until Hiruzen was out of the way, he would watch over Konoha from the shadows, protecting the roots of the great tree, holding the leaves.

Lately something was threatening the peace of Konoha. The security he had built was trembling and all because of a killing machine disguised as a red-haired child.  
Uzumaki Nori was like a thorn in his side - a thorn he wanted to rip out, sharpen and jab it into his enemies’ sides. 

Not only was she way too intelligent to let her rot in the academy when he could have already made her a usable weapon for Konoha’s security – no, she had to go and befriend the Hyuuga heiress, which meant Danzo could not approach her without alarming the current head of the Hyuuga clan. A man Danzo would rather avoid if the circumstances allowed it. Then, to make matters so much worse the whole Uchiha fiasco had happened and Itachi made it adamantly clear that no one (which in translation meant him) was to approach his little brother and by extension Uzmaki Nori.

But Danzo was nothing if not patient – he could wait and when the moment came, Uzumaki Nori would be coming to him.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!

Chapter 13

...  
Interlude Kyuubi no Yoko  
…

Kurama didn't know what to make of the ball of flesh that he had been sealed into. She felt nothing! NOTHING! The little flesh-ball was so apathetic towards everything! It irked Kurama to no end. Why didn’t she ever get angry? 

Why did the human have to be so calm all the time? How would she ever draw on his chakra when she refused to get angry? Come to think of it, she barely drew on her own chakra. It was almost like she was afraid of it. Wait, no that would require her to feel something. 

In this small prison Kurama was baiting his time until he could escape this hell. 

For year the little flesh-ball would barely communicate with the other flesh-balls, always acting calm and collected, despite the ignorance of the others, which isolated the girl nearly completely. The first instance of any strong emotion Kurama had felt from the girl draw him to look through the human’s eyes to see what it was about. The eyes that greeted the demon would have unsettled him had Kurama been a lesser being. Pupil-less, lavender – Hyuuga, then. But, the small panic the girl felt initially faded as quickly as it came. Kurama just grew angrier at his flesh-prison because of that. 

Nonetheless, Kurama continued to leak small portions of his chakra into the flesh-ball, hoping that one day it would be enough to finally break free.

…  
Present day  
…

Two newly graduated genin were sitting in front of the academy waiting for their friend to come out. Sasuke was most displeased with the waiting game, having never been too patient before in his life.

“When is she coming out?” he grumbled, feet kicking imaginary obstacles on the ground. Hinata gave him an exasperated sigh. Sasuke was her friend, sure – but they were both friends only because they both liked Nori. In fact, Hinata knew Sasuke wouldn’t bother socializing with her if it weren’t for Nori – and the feeling was quiet mutual. They both got along much better when Nori was present. However, for the redhead’s sake, Hinata would put up with any of Sasuke’s more colorful moods.

“Any minute now,” Hinata said in a vain attempt to placate the Uchiha.

Uzumaki Nori wasn’t at all worried about passing the exam. After all, Gai had taught her the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which she could now perform without many issues. Iruka had no problem handing her a headband with a metal plate carrying the Leaf symbol after a small demonstration of her skills. Mizuki wanted to protest, but his excuses were weak and flimsy. Nori could tell the man was nervous. Clearly, he had thought that something else entirely would happen. What - Nori did not know.

“You made it,” Sasuke breathed as Nori exited the examination room carrying the headband in her hands looking quite at a loss as what to do with it. 

She looked up at him before frowning. “There was doubt? Because Gai-senp-“ Sasuke cut of her rant with a hand across her mouth. He did not want to hear any more about her beloved Gai-senpai. The man was a menace.

“Not what I meant,” he said in explanation, already used to Nori’s inability to understand social cues.

Hinata smiled from beside Sasuke, her headband already around her neck. Nori frowned at it. “You do know those are supposed to reflect stray kunai - I think, at least. They never made the purpose quite clear.” Her eyebrows pulled together in thought. “Either way, wouldn’t it get in the way so loosely tied around your neck like a collar? You move a lot when you do taijutsu, it’s just gonna start swinging around and hit you in the chin, or worse, come undone and distract you.”

Hinata frowned touching the headband with her fingers. She clearly hadn’t thought about it. Sasuke had tied his around his forehead, pretty standard, but it got the job done and wouldn’t get in his way. Nori’s forehead was a bit too small and the headband would just obscure her vision, not something you want when dealing with a deadly profession.

“We can think about that later, let’s go,” Sasuke interrupted, knowing this was about to become a pointless discussion anyway.

…

He… He had failed. Months – no, years of hard work and he had failed. Couldn’t perform the required jutsu, they said. As if Lee needed it with his speed. It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t perform any ninjutsu, damn it! 

Therefore, here he was now, sadly watching his classmates show off their new headbands to their parents and guardians. Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He would just try again next year! Yes, he would just work double as much as he did up until now, then it won’t matter that he is basically a cripple in the shinobi world. 

“Just so you know, I wanted to let you pass, but Iruka was just too relentless this time.” The sly voice of Mizuki-sensei broke through Lee’s inner musing. 

Lee looked up at the man before his eyes turned back to the ground saying nothing in return.

“You know,” Mizuki began saying a sly smile appearing on his face that Lee couldn’t see. “There is another way for you to graduate – but – alas I have said too much!” he said while waving his hands through the air and pulling dramatic faces. 

“Really?! I can do it, I swear! What is it?!” Lee was over the moon for another chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a shinobi.

Mizuki hid his triumphal smile.

…

Uzumaki Nori was happily walking back to her apartment after a celebratory dinner at Ichiraku ramen with her friends. Her headband was still stored in her kunai pouch. She had no idea where to put the damn thing. It really wasn’t practical at all.

However, her mood remained light, she was very pleased with herself and her friends for their success, but she couldn’t help, but wonder over Mizuki – that rat had looked way too smug when she saw him later that afternoon. Something was wrong, if only Nori knew what.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, realization crashed through her. It couldn’t be, right? Mizuki wouldn’t attempt it now, right? It’s too early. But, then again, she wasn’t Naruto. But, he hadn’t approached her… Right, again, she wasn’t Naruto. However, if he didn’t approach her, who did he manage to trick? If it was an academy student in the first place.

As Nori observed the rooftops she took note of the very man her thoughts have been on this whole day. Huh, what is Mizuki planning? 

She wasted no time and followed after the suspicious chunin.

…

The Sandaime Hokage was a wise man – it wasn’t without reason people referred to him as the Professor. So naturally when ANBU reported an academy student sneaking into the restricted section of the Hokage tower Sarutobi knew there was something more behind it. He had known that they had a mole somewhere in the village. What hidden village didn’t have them? No, the problem wasn’t having a mole. It arose when the mole acted. And, especially annoying, it became when you didn’t know the exact identity of said mole.   
Since he didn’t know exactly who it was, he simply ordered ANBU to tail the academy student and see where it leads them.   
Slowly Sarutobi lifted his pipe to his lips. Time to observe, he thought as his gaze fell on the crystal ball in front of him.

…

Uzumaki Nori managed to track Mizuki all the way out to the edge of the forbidden forest. She frowned as she laid low. This wasn’t what had happened in canon at all. And what if he was meeting with Orochimaru – or worse, Danzo? She really should have thought more closely about this.

Doesn’t matter now, what’s done is done… besides, I’m almost positive the Hokage is already aware of this.

Nori was a rational person. She thought that if she were in the position of the Hokage and some academy student tried to steal the forbidden scroll she would already put the pieces together. There was no way an academy student would even know there was a scroll, let alone where it was kept, so logically that student had to have been set up, or he was working for someone – either way, she would want to know who that someone is and capture them. So, let the student take the scroll, dispatch ANBU and sit back and watch the show. That’s what Sarutobi did the first time around, if memory served her right, right?

She watched from her hiding place as Mizuki was approached by a - blur? No, wait – that can’t be right? Despite being different than what she recalled him to be from her memories of an anime show – that was most defiantly a feat only an academy student such as Rock Lee could perform.

So, did that mean that Lee had failed? Wait… was it her fault? No, wait, she already had that train of thought. If it had been up to her she would have never been reincarnated – so, nope, not her fault. She was just living her life, right?

“I got it!” he shouted in excitement as he handed the scroll to the traitorous chunin. Mizuki secured the scroll around his waist. “Does that mean I graduate now?” the boy asked hopefully.

Mizuki’s grin was anything but friendly and Nori’s eyes widened when she saw him pull the giant weapon from his back, Lee remaining blissfully oblivious to the chunin’s murderous thoughts. No! 

Before she could even think about her actions she raced towards Lee intent of getting him out of harm’s way.

The chunin narrowed his eyes as he saw the black and red blur move Lee out of the way. Just great, he had been hoping to avoid this kind of bloodshed. But, as his eyes zeroed in on the Jinchuriki, he couldn’t help but feel some kind of satisfaction. Finally somebody would take care of the demon; after all, it deserved to die, right?

“Well, well, well… if it isn’t Konoha’s demon brat in the flesh. You have proven to be a large thorn in many people’s sides, Uzumaki. Including mine.”

The smirk he threw her could be considered anything, but kind. Nori titled her head to the side in confusion. Surely he meant the villagers, right? Because, if people like Orochimaru considered her a nuisance, her life would prove to become that much more difficult. Ah, who was she kidding, they probably already consider her a nuisance.

“Mizuki, I honestly don’t care,” she bit out dragging Lee farther away from the rouge chunin. Her soft, yet firm voice seemed to have snapped Lee out of his daze because he looked up, wide eyed, seemingly finally grasping the situation.

“Y-you are a traitor!”

Mizuki rolled his eyes and looked at Lee as if he was lower than dirt. 

“Did you honestly expect someone like you could ever become a shinobi? What a joke!” he taunted causing Lee to stiffen beside her.

Nori drew in a breath before analyzing the situation. Mizuki had a large weapon, Nori had only her kunai with her and Lee, as far as she could tell was unarmed. Further analyzing the situation brought nothing good. Mizuki may be a traitor and a moron, but they didn’t hand out the chunin rank like hotcakes, he must have some skill to back that rank up. Nori just graduated to become a genin, well, she wasn’t even an actually genin until her team-leader said so, but tomato tomato. 

Situation analyses: she was utterly screwed unless a miracle happened. Huh, wait, how did Naruto defeat that guy, the only thing he knew was… Right, if you can’t fight with quality, fight with quantity?

Well, at this point, she would try it. She could probably distract him long enough to get away with Lee – wait, the scroll! Shoot!

With quick reflexes Nori pulled out a kunai and aimed it at the straps securing the scroll to the chunin’s back. Clearly Mizuki wasn’t as clever as he had thought because his mocking smile quickly turned into a worried frown as he noticed the scroll slipping from his back.

“Lee, run back to the village and get help,” Nori hissed at him as she grabbed another kunai out of her pouch, her body falling into a practiced stance. 

The boy looked at the scene still in somewhat of a shock state, before Nori snapped him out of it. “Now!” her words only slightly louder then before, but just as sharp. Lee had only seconds to react before Mizuki was near them. The last thing he saw before he took off was Nori engaging Mizuki in a battle.

…

Sasuke was not having the best evening. Nori usually came by to check on him around eight before heading back to her apartment. It was nearly 10 now and the redhead was still nowhere to be seen. That was the reason why Sasuke was currently out the street heading towards Nori’s apartment in hopes of finding her on the way. 

“HELP!” Sasuke’s head snapped into the direction of where the voice came from. He saw a boy with what he would have called the most ridiculous looking eyebrows, had he not met Maito Gai beforehand. 

Raising a dark brow Sasuke stopped the hysteric boy. “What’s the matter?”

“I – (wheeze) – Mizuki-sen- (Wheeze) –sensei, traitor – redhead girl…” There was more said, but Sasuke only caught the words traitor and redhead before grabbing a hold of the boy shoulder. 

“Where? Show me!” 

The boy merely nodded. It only later occurred to Lee that he should have probably gotten an adult to help and not another person fresh out of the academy. Even if said person was the last Uchiha in Konoha.

…

“You are no match for me, demon-brat!”

Nori would have begged to differ. He was very much having trouble keeping up with her. He was also getting antsy. The longer she stalled him, the more of a chance ANBU had of finding them.

“NORI-CHAN!”

Nori snapped her head to the side in time to see none other than Iruka running towards her. She didn’t mind Iruka, not at all. He was actually fairly decent once he got over the whole Kyuubi thing. But, she would have been happier to see a swarm of ANBU instead of him any day.

“Sensei, the scroll!” She shouted pointing at the discarded item. Iruka ignored her. Nori resisted the urge to slam her head against a nearby tree. Adults could be so difficult.   
“Nori, are you alright?!”

“Move!” She shouted as she saw Mizuki’s giant weapon head straight towards an unsuspecting Iruka. No wonder, the man never made jonin. He cared way too much which in turn left him vulnerable. She had no time to move him out of the way, but thankfully she didn’t have to.

She watched with sharp eyes as Sasuke appeared and moved the unsuspecting chunin out of the way of the large projectile.

“Sasuke!”

The boy snapped his head in her direction, his look clearly questioning the situation. “No time! Get the scroll!” 

Unlike Iruka, Sasuke obeyed immediately, leaving the winded chunin to his own devices and grabbing the large scroll.

“Now get it out of here!” she managed to shout before she intercepted Mizuki in a futile attempt to go after Sasuke. She managed to push him back which in turn made Nori wonder, who gave this man his rank? He was being pushed around by an out-of-the-academy genin.

“I’m not leaving you here!”

What’s with all the stubborn people?!

“I’ll be fine!”

“Like hell you will!” Mizuki shouted as he came down on her with a katana that Nori barely managed to block with her kunai.

“Nori!” Sasuke was clearly not having it. Nori clenched her teeth. Why did people have to be so difficult in such situations?

Iruka seemed to have regained his bearings and came right at Mizuki with his own kunai in hand. Nori let him go at it as she moved to join Sasuke and Lee? She had nearly forgot about the kid.

“Lee-san, please take this scroll back to the village and find adult help. Preferably of the jonin kind,” she stressed seeing Lee go red with embarrassment. The boy nodded franatically.

Sasuke just looked confused as Nori handed the scroll to Lee and watched the boy take off.

“Well, the gist is. Mizuki is a traitor, who tricked Lee into obtaining a secret scroll from the Hokage and now he is trying to kill us!” she shoted as she moved Sasuke out of the way. Alright, clearly leaving things to Iruka had been a bad idea. Memo to self, don’t let your guard down.

…

Meanwhile Lee was racing through Konoha with the scroll in his arms a thousand thoughts racing in his mind. Would he be labeled a traitor now? How did that girl know his name? What would he do now? Get somebody to help… Right, he could do that!

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder startling him into the conscious world. 

“Now, young man, I’m sure we can settle this, just give me the scroll,” Lee felt his bottom lip tremble as he gazed at the shinobi behind him clad in a green jumpsuit with a Konoha forehead-protector tied around his waist, the man’s expression serious.

“You have caused quite the uproar,” he continued as Lee just stared. 

“I – help!”

Gai shook his head as he looked at the child. Something didn’t make sense. The kid din’t look like a traitor, nor did he look like he had a plan. Beside’s what thief would be heading back to Konoha with the scroll?

“Hold on. Tell me everything slowly.”

…

Nori was at the end of her wits. Sasuke and she were doing a decent job at holding back Mizuki, but for how long? The man may be a moron, but unfortunately for Nori her previous assessment had been wrong. The man did have some skill to back up his rank. Unfortunetly for him, however, so did Nori and Sasuke.

Sasuke gave Nori a nod as he saw an opening in the chunin’s stance. Nori’s gaze told him she understood before she created a diversion so Sasuke could go in for the finishing blow and hopefully incapacitate the nin.

Nori went ahead and struck the man from above with her kunai putting her entire bodyweight behind it, forcing him to block with both hands. That gave Sasuke just enough time to slam his foot into the man’s side causing him to lose balance, after which Nori managed to grab a hold of his katana. She quickly held the sword beneath his throat. Sasuke was a bit concerned at the cold and detached look in Nori’s eyes as she held the man at blade point.

The man laughed. “You think you have the guts to kill me?” His maniac smile faltered as his only responde was for the sword to press harder into his neck drawing blood. He glared at her. “Of course, the demon brat would be capable of murder at such a young age. Do you know why the villages hate you? Well –“

Nori cut of his monologue. “I’m aware,” she told him shortly; meanwhile Sasuke was shooting her a confused look.

“DINAMIC ENTERY!” And cue a tree was falling, well, actually, it was broken in half. Was that necessary? But the starry look in Rock Lee’s eyes, clearly it wasn’t a matter of necessaty, but rather, other… ugh, things?

“Senpai!” And cue happy Nori. Sasuke shook his head a soft smile finding his way across his usually serious face. 

Gai made quick work of Mizuki, resorting to knocking the man unconscious after he started to ramble nonsense as Gai put it. Clearly Mizuki was not over the fact that the Kyuubi jinchuriki had defeated him. Well, she and Sasuke, with the (un)help(fullness) of Iruka respectively.

Lee bowed to Nori as he was apologizing for the trouble he caused. “Aaaa, that’s fine,” she told the boy who was emotionally crying about how cool Nori was. Sasuke kept his respectful distance from the scene figuring as long as Nori wasn’t being hurt, or anybody was trying to steal her away, he didn’t have to intervene, right?

“Aaa, Gai-senpai?”

“Yes, youthful kohai?!” He finished that sentence with a thumb up and a blinding smile. 

“I was thinking, since it was Mizuki’s fault that Lee didn’t graduate,” Nori didn’t know this to be a fact, but Gai didn’t have to know that,” I was thinking that he deserved a second chance to prove himself. I believe that after tonight’s actions he does deserve the chance to be a genin –“ She was cut of by both Gai’s and Lee’s loud tears.

“Nori-chan, your youthfulness shines so brightly!” Gai all but, screamed at her.

Lee was no better crying and mumbling about how noble she was. All that display made Nori uncomfortable, and so Sasuke came to the rescue.

“Maybe we should take Mizuki into costude and then discuss details?” He suggested which promptly caused Gai to stop his wails and jump into full jonin mode.

Nori smiled, her head titling to the side. Maybe very thing would be alright after all, she thought as she railed after the three shinobi and one prisoner. But, I have a feeling we are forgetting something…

…

Meanwhile Iruka was groaning and sitting up, looking around in confusion. When did he get here?

…  
OMAKE  
Meeting the princess  
…

Akuma was walking around the village minding his own business. His human wasn’t currently available and Akuma found himself terribly bored. His little human was a good human. He had his suspicions about her in the beginning, especially because of the strange faint fox smell. But, as time went on he found he liked the little human’s company and it was a bonus that she fed him, too. He nodded to himself; he had trained his human well. If only his human didn’t insist on having other stupid human’s around. Wasn’t he enough? He especially didn’t like the small male one, with the dark fur on top his hairless body. 

He heard stories about such a human. Akuma was fairly sure that it was the same human that cat’s told their kittens about. The Paw-stealer. Akuma scoffed. How demeaning would it be to be caught by him and – oh, the horror of having his paw-print taken was too much, even for a strong cat like Akuma.

“Get back, here! Quick, after her! Catch the beast!”

Akuma’s ears perked up at that. He watched as a small brown Molly-cat came rushing into the alleyway Akuma was currently occupying. The stupid human’s rushed past it.   
Akuma noted the red bow attached to her head with amusement. His human would never do that to him. 

Akuma snorted before his tail swished and he approached the Molly-cat with curiosity.

“Not that it’s any of my concern, but why the rush?” he asked a sly smile painting its way across his face. The Molly-cat hissed at him back herself up into a corner.

“Stay back!” she shouted.

Akuma rolled his one good eye. “Please, as if you are that interesting, princess.”

“Excuse me!” she shrieked causing Akuma to regret asking her anything in the first place. Curse him and his curiosity. “Do you have any idea about that day I just had? The year? My entire lifetime?! Do you have any idea what it’s like to be nearly squished to death every day of your life?!”

No, but he thought he preferred death to her annoying voice.

“I don’t wanna go back to that horrid human!” she cried. “I’m at my end! Since I was just a little kitten…”

Oh, great, a sob-story. He was so not looking forward to this.


End file.
